Holy Priesthood

Brother Priests is the new Blog

2010-07-27T15:58:00.000-05:00

Thank you for visiting our blog over the past 3 years. We are amazed at how our readership is grown. When we originally conceived this blog, we thought it would provide people with a unique inside view of what it is like to be a priest, but that never quite happened. Many of the most powerful moments of priesthood happen in quiet conversations -- moments in Confession, encounters on the street, times when people open up in powerful ways, small Masses that celebrate God's joy with a particular community. These things often cannot be explained in a blog post and can hardly be shared even with close friends, because they touch the intimacy of a person's relationship with God. We chose never to post these personal encounters.

We thought we could share the adventures of parish life, but life in a parish is also a sensitive topic. We thought of this as a forum for social and political commentary, but much of that commentary is our own opinions. People are not particularly interested in the opinions and speculations of a priest - they expect priests to post from the center of the Church's teaching and the truth of the Gospel.

Along the way we learned a lot. We learned that the web is a powerful forum for speaking, and consequently it must never be used as a place to air frustration or float half-baked opinions. The words of St. Paul are all the more important in today's world, "Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may import grace to those who hear". (Ephesians 4:29).

However, this does not mean there is no room for a blog from the perspective of a priest. In a world of fast-food sound bytes and quick answers, people want something they can savor and enjoy. In a world of constant change, people are looking for truth that can anchor their lives. We may not be able to share each conversation, but behind each day's work is a constant dialogue with Jesus Christ. His Gospel message again and again challenges us to look beyond the limits of our vision and see the world with bigger eyes and most of all a bigger heart.

We plan to share a lot more of how Christ challenges the life we live, and what following Christ looks like in the world today. This will happen at BrotherPriests.com. Blogspot has been a great home but we feel we have outgrown it, and the WordPress system gives us a lot more possibilities to include graphics and pictures, to integrate players with our audio posts, and to include documents and PDFs. You will continue to be able to offer feedback, subscribe, and enjoy.

This is our last post on Holy Priesthood, but the beginning of something new.

- The Priests

Trojan horse in marriage

2010-07-26T10:05:00.003-05:00

A recent article in the newspaper caught my eye with the intriguing headline, “Catholic Church updates fight as pill marks 50th anniversary.” I am too young to remember the original controversy over the pill, which seems to have happened only in the Catholic Church. The pill was promoted as a great advancement for women and for families. The pill would give women control over their own fertility and over their own bodies, allowing them to choose a pregnancy rather than being surprised by a child. Families would be free from the financial and emotional worries of leaving family size to chance, they said, and couples who could not afford to have another child could continue to be intimate without the worry of a possible pregnancy. Everyone said the pill was a great gift to women and marriage, and it would make marriages stronger and less stressful.

In all the world, the only people who stood against this new freedom and opportunity was the Catholic Church. The popular media tried to say that it was only the Pope and a few old celibate Bishops who really rejected the pill. The truth was a little more complicated, as it usually is, but the whole incident created a separation between laity and clergy, and between doctrine and practice, that has not yet healed. Behind the media story was the simple fact that, rather than inventing some new prohibition, the Church simply upheld the same teaching which Protestant churches has also taught until the 20th Century. Morally, the Church said that the meaning of intimacy lies in two purposes, both a loving union of a husband and wife, and the gift of new life which that union tends to create. Taking fertility out of the picture deprives the intimacy of an essential element, and not only undermines the meaning and purpose of that intimacy but ultimately undermines the meaning and purpose of marriage.

(Continue reading at BrotherPriests.com)

Fr. Joel's homily for June 27

2010-06-28T22:05:00.000-05:00

Surrender Everything to God (13:30)

Ordinary Time, 13th Sunday. What is the difference between Elisha in the first reading and the other three in the Gospel? Elisha wants to give God everything, it will just take him some time. The other three plan on holding something back from God. What amazing things God can do if we are willing to surrender everything! We see this in the life of Sr. Francis Xavier. We could see it in you life too. (27 Jun 2010)

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Oil - another sign of the Apocalypse

2010-06-22T08:35:00.001-05:00

My brother pointed out that the oil spill should keep us humble, and remind us how limited our capabilities really are. In this sense, the disaster is a natural consequence of pushing too far. It is exactly the same to say that the oil spill is God’s wrath for our arrogance, and His warning to repent. After all, it is God Himself who established the limits of nature and the consequences of violating them.

The fact that this is “God’s wrath,” is supported by the fact that nearly everything you can imagine went wrong with the efforts. First, the blowout preventer failed to prevent a blowout. Then, efforts to dam the well with drilling mud and to clog the blowout preventer with junk both failed.

One news brief said, “BP’s ill-fated relief efforts to stop the damaged well hit yet another snag, underscoring once again the fragility of the containment effort: lightning struck the vessel that had been collecting the oil from the well, suspending operations for nearly five hours” NYT

Ill-fated is a mild way to put it, the whole effort seems cursed in a way that is beyond our capacity to cope. It was a newspaper article that pointed me in this direction of thinking:
“The oil has now reached four gulf states…turning its marshlands into death zones for wildlife and staining its beaches rust and crimson in an affliction that some said brought to mind the plagues and punishments of the Bible. ‘In Relvelations it says the water will turn to blood,’ says P.J. Hahn, director of coastal zone management for Louisiana’s Plaquemines Parish. ‘That’s what it looks like out there- like the Gulf is bleeding. This is going to choke the life out of everything.’”
[read the full article at BrotherPriests.com]

Fr. Joel's homily for June 20

2010-06-20T21:02:00.000-05:00

Ord12 - Dying to be a Man (6:30)

Ordinary Time, 12th Sunday. Learning to play an instrument involves suffering, but it’s worth it. Sin mostly happens when we try to avoid suffering, with the result that we cause ourselves more suffering. Jesus offers a better solution – take up our cross and embrace our suffering. It causes us to grow as human beings and to grow in love. It is also what it means to be a father. Happy Fathers Day! (20 Jun 2010)

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Starting your marriage the right way

2010-06-18T10:46:00.001-05:00

Preparing for a wedding is an enormous undertaking and ought to be done with a lot of thought since the average wedding in the United States costs $20,000 - $25,000. However, more than the financial burden of the wedding is the emotional burden, because it is very easy for the bad feelings in a marriage to begin at the engagement.

To start a marriage off on the right foot, it helps that the arrangements of the wedding reflect the way a couple will make decisions in their married life, that is, they should be made together. There are two typical things that happen to wedding planning.
[ read the full article on BrotherPriests.com ]

Homily for the Sacred Heart - Benedict XVI

2010-06-15T20:05:00.000-05:00

Excerpt:

It was to be expected that this new radiance of the priesthood would not be pleasing to the ‘enemy’; he would have rather preferred to see it disappear, so that God would ultimately be driven out of the world. And so it happened that, in this very year of joy for the Sacrament of the priesthood, the sins of priests came to light ... Had the Year for Priests been a glorification of our individual human performance, it would have been ruined by these events. But for us what happened was precisely the opposite...

Read the full article on BrotherPriests.com

holypriesthood >> BrotherPriests.com

2010-06-13T20:40:00.001-05:00

On September 21, 2007, this blog was born, out of a desire to share the adventures of priesthood with the world. Now, 3 years and 400+ posts later, we have decided to expand to a new web site. Our new place on the world wide web will be http://brotherpriests.com

We have already begun publishing new content on BrotherPriests.com but we will continue to update this site periodically until the end of June. Please bookmark our new site.

We are grateful to Blogspot for hosting us for these three years but we wanted more flexibility to customize the page. We hope you like the new site, but feel free to leave a comment about it on this page.

- The priests

Fr. Joel's homily for June 13

2010-06-13T11:56:00.001-05:00

Ord11 - Greatest Love (7:30)

Ordinary Time, 11th Sunday. We judge other people by what they do and by what they own. We judge ourselves the same way. But King David learns that God’s love for him is a more important standard. The woman in today’s Gospel responds by loving Jesus with all her heart. We have heard that God loves us, but do we really believe it? (13 Jun 2010)

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Humbling Scum

2010-06-09T14:49:00.001-05:00

Since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and burned and sunk to the sea floor on 20 April 2010, the world has been watching a terrible tragedy unfold. Oil continues to leak from an unstoppable deep-sea gusher. The big question that seems to be on people's minds is, "What went wrong?" A congressional investigation is ongoing into the causes of the explosion. President Obama has placed a moratorium on new drilling and new laws are sure to follow to make sure that drilling is safe for all. Sadly, this spill doesn't even rank on the top-10 list, as the BBC reports in How big is the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? The biggest on the list is the Ixtoc 1 well, also in the Gulf of Mexico, which suffered a blowout in 1979 and leaked for nine months, spilling 476,000 metric tons of oil. So it could be worse, much worse. And maybe it will be.
(Actually, using the upper estimate of 45 million gallons, that would be approximately 144,000 metric tons, tying for 7th place right now in oil spills).

Getting too Confident

Our insatiable demand for oil has led us to more and more exotic places in order to extract it. You can see from the image above some of the stages in this development. The Deepwater Horizon was a "dynamically positioned" oil rig, which means that it wasn't tethered to anything, and it used propellers to stay in one place. The fact that they managed to start a well in 5,000 feet of water boggles the mind. They drilled through about 13,000 feet of rock to strike oil. And this is not the deepest well that has been drilled in deep water. Think of the manpower, knowledge, and years of engineering marvels that led us to this level.

I remember reading an article several years ago about engineering disasters (I can't seem to find the article now; not everything is on the internet). It looked at things like the Challenger explosion, the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse and the Hartford Civic Center roof. The author concluded that engineers trying new technologies were very aware of the risks and took many precautions. Their successors took past achievements for granted and became more and more careless. Witness this recent newspaper article:

A decade ago, U.S. Government regulators warned that a major deepwater oil spill could start with a fire on a drilling rig, prove hard to stop and cause extensive damage to fish eggs and wetlands because there were few good ways to capture oil underwater.... Yet over the past decade, the risks faded into the background as America thirsted for new oil sources, the energy industry mastered new drilling technologies, and the number of deepwater wells swelled into the thousands. ("Document: Feds knew of Gulf spill risks in 2000," Green Bay Press-Gazette, 9 June 2010, A-11)

The Root of the Problem
As we mop up messy scum and clean coated birds, everyone wants to blame BP, George Bush, the Federal Government, contractors or engineers. But none of these is the real problem, I believe. The root of the problem is our belief that, with the right combination of technology and laws, we can always be in control. We examine the technology and the laws to try to regain control. But this idea is false. We cannot control everything, and we are capable of releasing effects far beyond our ability to control them. The right attitude is one of humble caution. Aware of our own limitations, we need to chose carefully and live within our means.

The problem is, our belief that we are in control leads us to take risks and suffer terrible consequences. Bankers who thought they could control all the effects of their actions gambled wildly and the whole economy lost big. Homeowners gambled on mortgages to buy homes they couldn't afford and lost them to bankruptcy. Engineers who believed they could control everything pushed to drain wetlands and reshape rivers, and faced the consequences with loss of life and massive flooding. Ordinary people think they can stay in control when they march blindly into bad relationships. Abuse, stalking, and emotionally scarred children are the floating scum left by our false sense of control. Why is it, with evidence all around us, that we continue to build carelessly, live carelessly, genetically modify our foods and alter our bodies, expecting the consequences to always be manageable? Stark pictures of the massive cleanup show the results of choices made without humble regard for our limits. If only we would see the oil fowling our beaches for what it really is: Humbling Scum

Fr. Joel's homily for June 6

2010-06-07T20:33:00.000-05:00

Corpus Christi - God's Life in Our Hands (10 min)

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (Corpus Christi). Ordination and Marriage involving placing one’s life in the hands of another. God invites us to place our life in His hands, but we hesitate. So, even though we are unworthy of it, God places His life in our hands. What are you going to do with it? (6 Jun 2010)

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Response to Married Priests - Doing One Thing

2010-06-02T14:20:00.007-05:00

There is an African proverb that says, "He who chases two rabbits will catch none." Recently I cut my finger was because I was talking on the phone and trying to trim the wax off a candle at the same time. Because neither of the tasks needed my full attention, I thought I could do them both at the same time. This, by the way, is the root of the problem of texting while driving. Since neither task uses your full brain power, in theory you can do them both at once, but in reality it is impossible.

Today's computers can simultaneously run Word, Skype, e-mail, iTunes, and several web sites, but the human mind cannot run in several directions without becoming scattered. Having unintentionally trained myself not to focus, I found it was almost impossible to do papers. As soon as my brain would start to ruminate, my fingers would surf to something else. My writing quality suffered because I never achieved the depth that I needed. The mind needs focus in order to achieve something excellent.

If a scattered mind is a problem, a scattered heart is a disaster. The heart cannot go in two directions at the same time, and this is why the commitment of marriage liberates the heart by allowing it to focus. Marriage is fundamentally a "Yes" to dedicating your life and affection towards a single relationship. Married couples need to say "No" to other possibilities which undermine this commitment, in order to protect the original "Yes." This does not mean that a married person cannot love many people, but that none of these loves can be allowed to threaten the fundamental commitment.

Like marriage, priesthood indicates a direction of the heart, it is a way of giving your life in love. The more we describe priesthood as a life of self-sacrificing love, the more people say, "That's exactly what marriage is meant to be." The issue is not that priesthood and marriage are different but precisely their similarity. Both are paths of love that demand complete dedication. This is the reason why, by ancient tradition, once a man was ordained he was no longer permitted to marry. It is not the Church which limits his freedom, but the "Yes" he has given to a call from God, which directs his life in a way that excludes a subsequent marriage.

I am not saying that it is impossible to be married and to serve God as a priest, but I am saying that it is better to dedicate yourself to one or the other. This is what St. Paul means in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, when he says, "An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided." It is not that married love and priestly love are incompatible, but that it is much better for the heart to be focused in a one direction.

One could argue that, since it is possible to do both, candidates for the priesthood should not be challenged to adopt celibacy but should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to be married or not. The root of this objection is the fear that the Catholic Church is setting the bar too high, demanding more than the human capacity to give. This, exactly, is the foolish genius of the Catholic faith, that nothing short of giving your whole heart, mind, soul and strength will do. In being so demanding the Church imitates Jesus Christ, who said,
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'" (Luke 14:26-30)
Celibacy is the insistence that a man who wishes to be a herald of the Gospel must first decide to put all his bricks into one tower, and place the service of God before all other commitments. In this, I believe, celibacy is a visible sign that the man who preaches has understood the demands of the Gospel he claims to proclaim.

Fr. Joel's homily for May 30

2010-05-30T12:18:00.003-05:00

Trinity - A Community of Love (9:00)

Trinity Sunday. We believe in One God. We believe that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Spirit is God. But we don't believe in 3 gods, we believe in One God. How is this possible? It is a mystery, which means that it doesn't fit inside our heads, but we can still try to understand it. God is One not because he is alone, but because he is a Community of Love. The Father pours himself out in love to the Son, and the Son pours himself back, making the Spirit. God pours himself out to us too, and invites us to do the same. (30 May 2010)

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Novena of Prayer for Priestly Ordination

2010-05-28T14:14:00.000-05:00

Saturday, June 5th, the Diocese of Green Bay will ordain two men to the priesthood:
Jose Castaneda and Dan Viertel. Please join me in praying for them. You can read more about their journey here:
www.gbvocations.org

Novena of Prayer for Priestly Ordination

God our Father,
you appointed Jesus Christ High Priest of the new and eternal covenant.
By grace you allow men to share in this priesthood and in his saving work.

We ask you to pour out your Holy Spirit on the men you have chosen for priesthood.
May they preach the Gospel worthily and wisely, celebrate the sacraments faithfully and reverently, and pray without ceasing. May they be united more closely every day to Christ the High Priest, who offered himself for us to the Father as a pure sacrifice.

Bless, sanctify, and consecrate the men whom you have chosen and called to the sacred order of Priesthood. Through the Holy Spirit make their lives worthy of the mysteries they celebrate.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Priest and Lord.
Amen.

Response to Married Priests - Celibacy

2010-05-26T21:09:00.000-05:00

Many, many people favor married priests. They believe that the Church started priestly celibacy for practical reasons: priests are too busy to have a family, it used to cause problems with inheritance of church buildings, and most Catholics don't give enough to the church to support both a priest and his family. They believe that for practical reasons, now is the time to make a change. Here are some of the arguments:

Celibacy emerged from a negative view of sex that it was something bad. Now we know better, and a priest doesn't need to avoid marital relations in order to stay pure.
Some people might be called to be priests but not given the gift of celibacy (perhaps in the case of our author above). Why not have married priests too?
Maintaining priestly celibacy may be a beautiful thing, but if it causes a shortage of priests and a lack of the Eucharist, it needs to go.
Celibacy is contrary to human nature; it condemns a priest to life a life of loneliness and isolation.
How could a young man at the age of 24 or 25, maybe one who has never even had a serious girlfriend, make such a big decision as this for the rest of his life?

These five objections are taken up by Pope Paul VI in his beautiful (and forgotten) encyclical on the celibacy of the priesthood, Sacerdotalis Caelibatus, from 24 June 1967. How does the Pope respond to such damning arguments? Very simply:

Jesus Christ is the Answer

Christian priesthood takes its origin from Jesus Christ. Jesus came with a mission to love us and to be our heavenly bridegroom. He lived a life of complete celibacy, why? Because sex was bad? No, because it was good, but he was offering us something better - the unconditional love of God. He remained his whole life celibate in complete, dedicated service to God and man. In doing so, he opened up for us a new way of loving. Celibacy signifies "love without reservations". As Paul VI says, "celibacy is and ought to be a rare and very meaningful example of a life motivated by love." Jesus provides us the model for the priesthood.

Life of Self-giving Love

A priest cannot be married because, quite simply, he has already given himself to someone else. He has given himself to the Church and to Christ. Priesthood is a life of self-giving love. This is why it is a permanent commitment, this is why a man cannot be un-ordained. This is also why a man, once ordained, cannot marry. Some people look at the life of a priest and say, "I couldn't do that." What they generally mean is, "I couldn't live without love." I completely agree with them; I couldn't live without love either. But priesthood is not the invitation to a life without love. Rather, it is an invitation to love without reservations. Celibacy is a radical way of living based on two simple truths:

You are worth it.
You were worth the death of the Son of God. God loves you so much, he is giving you men who are completely dedicated to serving you. That is celibate priesthood.
God is enough.
God alone satisfies, as St. Teresa of Avila says. Our ultimate happiness in heaven comes from being satisfied by God himself and his unconditional love for us. By his life, the priest is testifying that in the end, the only thing we truly need is God.

Answers to the Objections

Here are some very short answers to the above objections:

Celibacy is not about ritual purity. A conjugal relationship is beautiful when it expresses a true gift of self. Celibacy, when lived out of love, does the same thing.
The Western church has a very beautiful and very fruitful tradition of celibate priests. It is a poignant witness to God's love and the power of grace. Would it not be arrogant for us to throw away something beautiful because we are afraid of a lack of priests? Does this show that we do not trust God to supply what we need?
Celibacy is more necessary now than ever. People are attacking it because they fear it; it shows how hollow is the world of glorified, self-gratifying sexual encounters.
Celibacy is a super-natural gift which rises from the fact that God himself loves each of us. Rather than attacking nature, it shows us that the true nature of every human being is to be loved by God.
This is not a commitment to be made lightly, and it requires careful and proper formation. But a man can give his life to defend his country at the age of 18, and a man can give his life to defend his family at any age. Can he not also give his life out of love even at the age of 25? So many of our young people do not see their true capacity to love and be loved and they settle for using and being used. Let's start a revolution of purity and manliness.

Now I have given you a beautiful vision, but you will tell me that it isn't possible. Celibacy may testify to God's love, but I man really cannot live this beautiful vision in the real world. In the words of U2: "I believe in love." I still believe that real, self-giving love is not only possible, but even necessary for our survival as human beings. Paul VI says:
Of this [the Church] is certain: if she is prompter and more persevering in her response to grace, if she relies more openly and more fully on its secret but invincible power, if, in short, she bears more exemplary witness to the mystery of Christ, then she will never fall short in the performance of her salvific mission to the world—no matter how much opposition she faces from human ways of thinking or misrepresentations. We must all realize that we can do all things in Him who alone gives strength to souls and increase to His Church.

Read more here:

Encyclical of Pope Paul VI, Sacerdotalis Caelibatus

Fr. Joel's homily for Pentecost

2010-05-23T12:04:00.001-05:00

Pentecost - The Wind that Wakes Us

Easter, Pentecost. The Holy Spirit's presence gives us a second wind. He enters everywhere and moves us in the direction God wants us to go. He shares with us God's own Divine Life. He inspires us with good homilies. Come Holy Spirit! (23 May 2010)

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I wasn't able to think of anything for this homily, so I thought maybe God wanted me to trust the Holy Spirit.Here is a little explanation.

Day 9 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

In the presence of the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body, to you Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of your purity and the unerring keenness of your justice and the might of your love. You are the strength and light of my soul. In you I live and move and have my being. I desire never to grieve you by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against you. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I cling to you and give myself to you and ask you by your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. I ask you, Spirit, helper of infirmity, so to keep me in your grace that I may never sin against you. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to you always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Amen.

MEDITATION - SATURDAY

Jesus enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for "the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit." When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. When they entered Jerusalem they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:4-9,13-14)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus’ way of love. Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your Presence which permeates all creation. Help us in our search for peace in this world through the application of charity and justice; we humbly also ask these special graces… (we silently offer our petitions).

In conclusion, Creater Blest, accept these prayers of love from our hearts; we give ourselves to you. Breathe in us, O Holy Spirit, that our thoughts may be holy; act in us that our works may be holy; draw our hearts, O Holy Spirit, that we may love what is holy. Strengthen us to defend all that is holy and guard us as we strive to be holy. We offer our prayer to you in union with the Father and the Son, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Day 8 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-20T18:00:00.001-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - FRIDAY

Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Awe in God’s Presence. Touch my flesh with reverence that I may see your goodness in myself and in all creation.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Response to Married Priests - Lifetime Commitment

2010-05-20T16:15:00.001-05:00

Many people believe that the Catholic Church is asks too much of her priests. Requiring a man to be celibate is no longer a reasonable expectation, they say. But they overlook an important fact: marriage isn't popular either. Last year, 40% of babies in the US were born to unmarried women. We know anecdotally that more people are living together before marriage and waiting longer to get married. Half of marriages end in divorce. The problem is not celibacy; the problem is the lifetime commitment. People who make a commitment to marriage have a hard time sticking with it. People who make a commitment to priesthood have a hard time sticking with it. So why not change the lifetime commitment part? Priesthood could just as easily be a temporary job, right? A man could give 10 or 20 years. You get great job security, company-provided housing, and lots of free food from little old ladies. After a few years saying Mass and filling in for the shortage, a man could leave priesthood and life a normal life, much like military service. Why not?

God is Faithful

Being a priest is more than just celebrating Masses and hearing Confessions. It is a Sacrament. This means that the Priest himself reveals something about God. He is a sign of God's presence and reveals something about God's nature. So what does the lifetime commitment reveal about God? God is faithful. The Scriptures constantly remind the people of Israel that God has made a lifetime commitment to his people and will not abandon them even when they are unfaithful. Here is one example: Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. (Isaiah 49:15)

The Priest must be Faithful

People love their priests very much because they know they can always call them. Night or day, good or bad, beautiful moments or trying ones - the priest is there for them. And he will be until he dies. A priest is a symbol to the people of God's faithfulness. The lifetime commitment reminds people that God is always there for his people. The people of God deserve nothing less.

What if a priest is not faithful?

The Church has no power to "un-ordain" a man. Once someone has become a priest, we believe that he is irrevocably changed by the power of God. But it does happen that a man might enter into priesthood for the wrong reasons, or discover once he is a priest that he is completely unsuited for the job. In this case, it is possible to obtain special permission to no longer act as a priest. In other words, we believe that he remains forever a priest, but he no longer has the duties and obligations of a priest. So now we come to the issue in the letter. The author speaks of men who have made a lifetime commitment to celibacy and were ordained priests, then discovered that they were unable or unwilling to carry through on their promise. They "leave the priesthood", meaning they no longer act as priests, and can even obtain permission to be married. Should such a man then be allowed to exercise his role as a priest?

My answer would be "No." Will God's power still act through such a man? Yes. Would the sacraments be valid (with the proper permissions)? Yes. But is the man a symbol to the people of God's faithfulness? No. The witness of his life speaks louder than his homilies ever will.

Day 7 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-19T18:00:00.001-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - THURSDAY

Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Piety. Incite in me an urge to live properly, justly, and piously, nurturing my faith and respecting the dignity of all life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Day 6 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-18T18:00:00.001-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - WEDNESDAY

Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Fortitude. Strengthen me by your grace against those moments I am weakest and most vulnerable, so that I may see beyond human weakness in others and myself and love myself and others as Christ loves.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Day 5 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-17T18:00:00.001-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - TUESDAY

Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Counsel. Lead me to those people who will best further my love and faith relationship with you and never permit me to lead anyone away from you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Day 4 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-16T17:59:00.001-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - MONDAY

Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Knowledge. Strengthen me to live in the midst of temporal things that I may not be overly drawn to them. Help me to discover your fullness as you reveal yourself each day.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Fr. Joel's homiy for May 16

2010-05-16T10:24:00.001-05:00

Ascension - Pray to See Jesus (6:50)

Easter, Ascension of Our Lord. Jesus did not leave the Father when he came to Earth, and he does not leave us when he goes back to the Father. Christ is still present here. I felt his presence during Holy Week, and others have seen him too. Pray to see the presence of Jesus in your life. (16 May 2010)
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Day 3 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-15T18:00:00.002-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - SUNDAY

Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Understanding. Enlighten my mind concerning the mysteries of salvation so that I may thoroughly understand and fervently embrace them.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Day 2 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-14T17:21:00.003-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - SATURDAY

Come, Holy Spirit; Spirit of Wisdom. Strengthen my Faith, fortify my Trust, perfect my Love and help me always to choose the practice of Charity as a way of life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Day1 - Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-13T17:00:00.001-05:00

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created

and you will renew the face of the earth.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

MEDITATION - FRIDAY

Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.” (John 14:12-17)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Novena to the Holy Spirit Novena

2010-05-13T16:17:00.003-05:00

The Novena is an ancient Catholic tradition of saying the same prayer 9 days in a row. It comes from the Biblical exhortation to pray always without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17). It also comes from the period of waiting when the Apostles spent time in prayer and anticipation waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus ascended to heaven forty days after Easter (Acts 1:3) and promised that God would send the Holy Spirit. After the Ascension scripture tells us that the Apostles devoted themselves to prayer. And so we do also. For the next 9 days I will post a daily piece of the Novena to the Holy Spirit. Please pray along; we could all use more Holy Spirit.

Fr. Joel's homiy for May 9

2010-05-09T11:48:00.000-05:00

East6 - The Woman is a Temple (9:30)
Easter, 6th Sunday. The Temple contained the presence of God so that the world could be transformed. The woman is the temple within the family and the home. She must nurture God's presence to fill the world with the Light of Christ. (9 May 2010)

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Another Global Conspiracy Unmasked

2010-05-07T14:24:00.001-05:00

The Vatican on May 1 released a communique summarizing a year's worth of investigation into the Legionaries of Christ. Famous for their rapid growth and abundance of seminarians, they basically functioned as a global cover-up. Here is information from the Vatican report:

2. The Apostolic Visit was able to determine that the conduct of Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado has caused serious consequences in the life and the structure of the Legion, which requires a path of profound revision.
The extremely grave and objectively immoral behavior of Fr. Maciel, which has been confirmed by irrefutable testimony, takes the form of true crimes and demonstrates a private life without scruples or authentic religious sentiment. That life was hidden from the great majority of Legionaries, above all because of a system of relationships constructed by Fr. Maciel, who was adept at creating alibis for himself and winning the trust, confidence and silence of those around him, reinforcing his role as a charismatic founder.
By discrediting and pushing away those who doubted the correctness of his behavior, as well as through a mistaken desire not to undercut the good he was doing for the Legion, they created a mechanism of defense around [Maciel] that made him immune to attack for a long time, consequently making an awareness of his real life extremely difficult.
Full Text

The Vatican goes on to mention all the sincere people that were part of the Legion, which also really means that they were duped into being part of Maciel's circle. For me, the saddest part is that Maciel succeeded at creating what many people claim that the Catholic Church is. Many believe that Jesus was secretly married and even had children, and the Church covered it up in order to create the perfect founder. If you got to know the real Jesus, they say, you wouldn't be impressed. The Church has been hiding him for political reasons. Of course, the truth always comes at, and we are grateful that it found Maciel before he died. The truth about Jesus has already come out, and is being proclaimed in pulpits daily. The Church is not a cover-up; it would have fallen centuries ago if it were based on lies.

As sad as these revelations are for thousands of people throughout the world, and for Christians everywhere, they serve as good reminders of two things. He succeeded at duping all sorts of people who should have know better, from pious families to rich and wealthy patrons. We are all susceptible to the power of charisma and the web of lies. Knowing that you can be duped, and maybe have been in the past, is still the best defense. Secondly, Maciel at times tried to suppress his evil side, but never truly succeeded, and settled for hiding it instead. Look at how his evil multiplied with every lie he told. He himself would probably have been much happier had he just disappeared one day and went to live a quiet life away from temptations. Even in spite of this evil, the Church can heal and grow, and his victims can find peace, but Maciel is forever the horrid monster he created. In the end, the true victim of his con artistry was himself. If you too are living a double life, get help now, before it's too late.

Fr. Joel's homiy for May 2

2010-05-03T18:29:00.007-05:00

East5 - Keep Loving and Forgiving (8:40)
Easter, 5th Sunday. Christ loves us with self-giving love and He wants us to do the same. But loving in this world leads to hardship and requires forgiveness. I've had to live this in my own life, and we've seen it in the Amish community, and the life of Mother Mary. God promises good things to come and ultimately happiness in heaven, so it's worth it to keep loving and forgiving. (2 May 2010)

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Earth Day & Sunday

2010-04-26T10:32:00.001-05:00

Breakfast always has an air unreality about it, perhaps because a thin barrier of coffee is all that separates it from the dreamworld. My breakfast the other day was touched by the mystical when I stumbled on a quote in the comics:
"Outdoors is where the great mystery lies, so going into nature should be a searching and humbling experience, like going to church." - Skip Whitcomb

Newspapers are filled with the whir and bustle of humanity, and the noise and smoke of modern civilization. Rarely are we still enough to hear the whispers of that great mystery which lurks beyond the fences of our towns.

The civilization we build and the activity it contains is a great comfort to us. We know that this human world is limited and artificial, but it wraps life in a blanket of familiarity and reduces the world to a size we can understand and comprehend. We instinctively know that the blanket is not reality, that its pressing demands are somewhat arbitrary, and we feel as much smothered as comforted by its constant weight. From time to time, in a moment of natural disaster or personal disaster, our warm blanket is torn off and we are left naked and shivering, facing the bitter truth of human life. We struggle to cope with that truth and to clean up the debris, bury the bodies, and return to "normal" as quickly as possible. At other times, through gaps in our ordinary life, we catch glimpses of something glorious that lies beyond, a world that only heroes inhabit, where life is lived to its fullest possibilities.

Unsure how to handle all this, we generally play it safe and only venture beyond the confines of our life in manageable ways. We take small expeditions to the wilderness beyond cell-phone reception or weekends at a cabin on the lake. The great mystery, however, does not appear predictably before our gaze, and one can venture into the wilderness without sensing its presence. Having not felt the mystery does not prove there is no mystery, much like having not sighted any deer does not prove they are extinct. The quote above notes that, in order to encounter the mystery, we must go into nature with the proper attitude, and the proper attitude is humility.

Perhaps the reason the mystery is so rarely mentioned is that the virtue of humility is hard to find. As our confidence in science grows, we dam the rivers and cut through the mountains, fell the trees and mine the valleys for ore and harvest the wind for power. As surely as the animals have retreated from our hubris, so has the great mystery.

Some of our most revered saints are the desert fathers, men and women who pursued the mystery of God by venturing into the wilderness alone. Being in the desert alone can easily drive you insane. Insanity is closing yourself off from the mystery you are unable to handle, and the mad man is the one who has reduced the world to simple rules, despite the fact that these rules are false. There is an air of insanity, however, in all of civilization, because we have constructed a comprehensible world which ultimately is not real. Because so many of us live in this insanity we presume it is true. But it is not true, and venturing into the wilderness alone is also a way to drive yourself sane, provided you have the courage to face the great mystery.

It struck me, in the quote above, that venturing into nature is compared to venturing into church. The great forests and the great cathedrals have a striking similarity, as if the builders of the cathedrals had lived so close to the mystery they felt comfortable with it. Those were wise people, and it was not by accident that they placed a shrine to the creator of the world in the middle of their busy towns, like a hole cut deliberately in the blanket of civilization. Just like observing the Sabbath as a day of rest, these holes in the world keep us from being smothered by our constructed life. They prop open the door of our human life to the infinite possibilities of the mystery, and so ultimately it is the churches that keep us sane.

Yet as surely as the forests have been cut down, our churches have been domesticated. No longer do they soar to mystical heights, tugging at the boundaries of human life. Instead they are carpeted, padded, restrained, and comfortable. Their services are familiar, interesting, and soothing. Yet, in the effort to be relevant, these churches have lost the very reason for their existence, which is to testify to the mystery of God. The Catholic Church has not been entirely domesticated, thanks to the power of the Eucharist. This sacramental presence means that even the most arrogant and insipid priest cannot prevent the infinite mystery from sneaking into his liturgy. It is this presence of mystery which has prevented the Catholic Church from following the path of so many other modern worship experiences.

Yet it is exactly this which makes the Catholic Church "insane." So many people live in the false world we have constructed, the world of business and commerce and film, that we assume it is sane. The Church with its very different approach to life, with its testimony of desert monks and cloistered nuns, is an uncomfortable door through which untamed winds continue to blow. Secular society would rather shut the door, and keep out the winds of mystery, and every effort is being made to coax the Church into conformity. Yet the instant that door is shut, human life begins to suffocate and die. A life without mystery is too small to live.

Fr. Joel's homily for Apr 25

2010-04-25T11:43:00.001-05:00

East4 - The Power of Love (7:45)
Easter, 4th Sunday. Tyrants beware! Christ destroys the power of fear with the power of his self-giving love. There is nothing more powerful; if we will let Him into our lives, it will set us free. (25 Apr 2010)

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This homily borrows generously from Fr. Robert Barron's Word on Fire series.

Fr. Joel's Homily for First Communion

2010-04-18T17:53:00.000-05:00

Easter3 - Communion with God (13:30)
Easter, 3rd Sunday and First Communion. Jesus wants to feed his sheep with the gift only He can give - Himself. What is the point of being Christian? It is to be with the God whom we love and who loves us. The point of being Christian is Union with God. As we receive the gift of Jesus, let us give him the gift of ourselves. (18 Apr 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Easter 2010

2010-04-04T19:35:00.001-05:00

Easter Sunday - The Resurrection changes Everything (14:30)
Easter Sunday. Why is the empty tomb good news? Because it means that Christ is Risen, Truly Risen! No longer is the grave our ultimate destiny. The tomb becomes a launchpad to new life. By choosing Christ now we can begin to experience the New Life in our lives. Do you reject Satan? Do you believe in Christ? (4 Apr 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Good Friday

2010-04-03T13:07:00.000-05:00

Good Friday - My Best Friend Died Today (3:30)
Good Friday. My best friend died today. And I killed him. I didn't mean to, but I did. I had other friends and other activities, things I knew he wouldn't be proud of. Then I discovered a lot of people who felt the same way. We wanted him gone. Finally he was out of my life for good. But as he hung on that cross, dying, I realized that he was the only real friend I'd ever had. And he was dead. My very best friend died today. And I killed him. (2 Apr 2010)

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Holy Thursday - Time to Shave

2010-04-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

This year I made a snap decision about Lenten penances -- I gave up shaving for Lent. It seemed like a good idea at the time. After 5,000 comments about my appearance, I began to see what a real penance it was. It also got itchy. Just as the beard really took shape, it was time to shave! Our local Catholic paper reported that Holy Thursday was the traditional day for shaving. So like a good Catholic, I followed tradition.

Fr. Joel's homily for Palm Sunday

2010-03-28T19:05:00.000-05:00

Lent6 - Make this week Holy (4:30)
Lent, Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion. You can tell how much something is worth by the price that was paid for it. You were bought at the price of Christ's blood. Spend this week meditating on your true value. (28 Mar 2010)

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Lazarus Saturday

2010-03-27T10:47:00.000-05:00

Today in the Greek Orthodox calendar is traditionally the celebration of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus hears from his friends at Bethany, Martha and Mary, that his friend Lazarus is sick. Jesus does not respond immediately and Lazarus dies. When he finally arrives all hope is lost. Or is it? They open the tomb and Jesus says, "Lazarus, come out!" -- and he comes out. This proves that Jesus is Lord of both the living and the dead. It also leads the Pharisees to finally plot his death. Here is the text below:

John 11:1-53

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. 3 So the sisters sent word to him, saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." 4 When Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." 8 The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." 11 He said this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." 12 So the disciples said to him, "Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." 13 But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. 14 So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus has died. 15 And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." 16 So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him."

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 (But) even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." 24 Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, "The teacher is here and is asking for you." 29 As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. 31 So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, 34 and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." 35 And Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." 37 But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?"

38 So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. 42 I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." 43 And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

45 Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation." 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing, 50 nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish." 51 He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. 53 So from that day on they planned to kill him.

The Gospel of the Lord

Happy Spring!

2010-03-26T12:57:00.002-05:00

On December 9th, 2009, a huge snowstorm hit Wisconsin, blanketing the region in snow. The hardest hit was my back porch, as you can see in the illustration below. The snow shrank in warm weather and grew again with cold weather, but through the entire winter the porch remained snowed in and impassible. Finally, sustained warm weather cleared it on March 18th, 2010 (see above). That little wet spot is the mortal remains of the final pile of snow. I celebrated by sitting on the deck and drinking a Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy. Happy Spring!

Fr. Joel's -- actually, Deacon Kevin's homily for Mar 21

2010-03-21T16:14:00.003-05:00

Lent5 - Throw Stones or Give Chicken? (9:35)
Today's homily is brought to you by Deacon Kevin DeCleene
Lent, 5th Sunday. The Gospel shows us many different roles people can play in a situation. In the end, Jesus chooses not to throw stones, but to show unconditional love. This same love can be seen in the generosity of Robert, a many once condemned who now reaches out. Who will you choose to be? (21 Mar 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Mar 14

2010-03-14T11:55:00.000-05:00

Lent4 - A Father's Prodigal Love (5:30)
Lent, 4th Sunday. What is the moral of the prodigal son? A son learns that his real treasure was his father's love for him, a fact that the father already knew, and the older son has yet to learn. A Father's love is worth more than wealth. How often we take God's love for granted! Take time today to thank someone who loves you generously. (14 Mar 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Mar 7

2010-03-07T16:39:00.003-06:00

Lent3 - Let Him Remove the Obstacles (9:00)
Lent, 3rd Sunday. God wants to fill our hearts with his love. But there's a problem - our weakness and our sins are obstacles to His love. Faced with these things, we settle for being "good enough." But God calls us to be Great and He can make us great, if only we let him in. (7 Mar 2010)

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Why women cannot be priests (3 of 3)

2010-03-01T10:56:00.007-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

In Catholic theology there is a wonderful balance between the male and the female in the work of our salvation. In the book of Genesis, God creates both male and female. Both are tempted, both fall into sin, and both bear the curse of that sin in different ways. This double fall requires a double act of redemption, and so in His Wisdom God brings about the work of redemption though a man and a woman. First, He prepares Mary by preserving her free from Original Sin. We know that Mary is not divine. Like us she is a finite human creature with a human father and mother. God makes her perfect, however, preserving her from any flaw or stain, so that she can perfectly respond to God's infinite love. Her courageous response of "Yes" allows God to enter human history through her womb. This would be the first act of redemption. Jesus, by his Incarnation, elevates our human condition by uniting a human nature to his divine nature, the second moment of redemption. While God comes to us in Jesus, He comes to us through Mary. If we imagine that Jesus is the bridge between Heaven and earth, Mary is the place where that bridge is anchored on our side. So there is a beautiful cooperation of the divine and human, male and female, in this moment of the Incarnation.

Both male and female also cooperate in the sacrifice which completes our salvation. Jesus offers himself on the cross while Mary is actively offering Him and praying constantly for Him. Protestant theology is typically uncomfortable with this portrayal of Mary, because Jesus's offering alone is sufficient to bring salvation while Mary's offering alone is not sufficient. Remember, though, that Jesus did not make His offering alone, He made it united spiritually to Mary. While God could have chosen to bring about salvation without Mary, He instead accepted her offering together with the offering of His son, so that the male and female would both contribute to our redemption. Protestantism, by trying to emphasize Christ, unintentionally creates a theology which is primarily masculine, rather than one that is balanced.

As we delve a little deeper into the mystery of salvation, it becomes clear that God "had" to bring salvation about in this way. I say "had" because God could have chosen to work outside or around the created world. Since He chose to work within his creation, He needed to use a human woman. Clearly He could have brought about a man who was immaculately conceived, but this man would still have been completely incapable of welcoming the Word of God into the world. A woman was necessary for that role. Naturally, the mind can imagine that Mary could have conceived and given birth to a daughter, the incarnate Word of God. This girl could have suffered and died on the cross while her mother prayed below. First, we notice that this scenario would completely lack any male presence in the work of our redemption, creating something unbalanced. On a deeper level, however, the masculinity of Jesus was necessary to fully address the effects of sin (this idea comes from Dr. Mary Lemmons at the University of St. Thomas).

Going back to Adam and Eve, we see that their sin not only disrupted their relationship with God, but it also invited sin and evil into the relationship between the sexes. It is sin which turns the harmony of this beautiful diversity into the "battle of the sexes" where men and women compete with each other. As part of the curse of sin, God says to Eve, "Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you." (Genesis 3:16) This is an artistic summary of the suffering of women through the centuries. Women are naturally inclined to desire to be loved, and to sacrifice for the people in their life as a way of seeking that love. Consequently they face the temptation of idolizing a man and "offering sacrifices" to him, trying to make him the center of her life. Men, on the other hand, are tempted to control and dominate women, taking advantage of their willingness to sacrifice to turn them into servants. A woman is therefore victimized twice, first by her desire to be loved and to sacrifice for the one who loves her, and second by the vice of men who manipulate this desire for their own selfish ends.

This divide cannot be healed by the woman because of her status as the victim. I won't get into details, but I think that the sad state of the relations between men and women today is due to a well-intentioned attempt to better the status of women from the woman's side. This cannot possibly work, because it is the man's side which is most disordered.

Because Jesus came to rescue woman from the oppression of men, he had to come as a man. Jesus does this in two ways. First, He presents a model of manhood which triumphs over selfishness by offering His own life as a sacrifice for others. Women are naturally willing to sacrifice but men must be taught. The crucified Lord is a constant condemnation of those who resort to violence and a constant reminder that God takes the side of the victim in a disordered relationship. You can see clearly that the image of a woman beaten, bloody and nailed to a crucifix, would do nothing to heal this disorder in men. In fact, it would probably only deepen the disorder. Jesus had to be a man in order to teach men how to love.

Jesus also heals the other side of the division by correcting the desire of women. Jesus is a man who can be loved completely without committing idolatry, because He is God. A woman can therefore place Jesus Christ at the center of her life without doing anything wrong. This presence of Jesus helps women to correct their desire for love which can be so easily manipulated. Young, unmarried women I know are particularly fond of the saying, "A woman should be so hidden in Christ that a man has to seek Him to find her." When a woman seeks the love of Christ she begins to know true love and is less likely to be deceived by the cheap imitations that abound in this disordered world. Her relationship with Christ also creates a very fruitful tension in her relationship with other men. When a woman is receiving love from Christ, no other man can control her access to love and consequently they lose the power to manipulate her. Once again, if Mary had given birth to a daughter as the embodiment of divine love, it would not have helped women to escape from male domination.

I write this, not so much as an argument, but as reflection on the mystery of how God heals and saves. Priesthood, because it continues the ministry of Jesus in a concrete and visible way, continues this mission of reconciling men and women. The priest is first challenged as a man to receive the love of Jesus and to imitate that sacrificial love. He then challenges both men and women to find their need for love in Jesus and to live in a self-sacrificing way. Since the masculinity of Jesus was an essential element of God's plan of salvation, it is also essential that priests be male. The necessity for priesthood to be a male presence does not mitigate the contribution of women, just as the necessity of Christ as our savior does not reduce the contribution of Mary. In Catholic life there is a wonderful balance between the male and female. Reserving priesthood to men does not create an imbalance, but maintains this beautiful balance.

Why women cannot be priests (2 of 3)

2010-02-28T15:23:00.004-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

In my previous post I showed that we know with the certainty of faith that women cannot be Catholic priests. I want to emphasize again that this is a process which involves the whole Church. Most of the Protestant churches which decided to ordain women made this decision by an educated elite, who went ahead with their personal opinions despite the objections of the faithful in the pews and the opposition of centuries of tradition.

Now, the conversation gets really interesting because we believe that God is a reasonable God, and so He does not make decisions arbitrarily but according to a plan which, to some extent, we can understand. Why would God, who gives many gifts and talents to women, not invite them to be priests?

To ask why women cannot be priests makes the assumption that women (for the most part) can do everything men can do. This is true in most careers. It does not really matter whether a woman or man is flying the airplane, answering the phone, filing your taxes, etc. Either can accomplish the necessary set of tasks.

However, gender is not interchangeable in personal relationships. A woman cannot be a father. She could accomplish all the necessary tasks, like taking her sons hunting or teaching them to throw a football, but there is more to fatherhood than doing something. A woman cannot be a father, because fatherhood requires a masculine presence. The same is true on the other side. Although a man can be very tender, nurturing, and caring he cannot fill the role of a mother. "Mother" is not something you do, but it is someone you become. Only a woman can become a mother.

If Catholic priesthood were about fulfilling certain tasks, like preaching and teaching, signing checks, opening the church doors and leading the singing, then it could be filled just as competently by a woman. However, being a priest is not the same as doing certain things.

A woman cannot be a priest, because Catholic priesthood is a personal relationship which requires a masculine presence. In Catholic theology, we believe that there is only one true priest of the new and eternal covenant. To be eternal, the covenant must be perfect, but all men are imperfect and their sacrifices are imperfect. Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice of his own body and blood. Just as that one true sacrifice is made present throughout the world in the miracle of the Eucharist, the one true priest is made present through the world in the miracle of priesthood. To be a priest is to be a sacrament of the presence of Christ.

This presence must be a masculine presence because the relationship of Christ to his Church is a spousal relationship. St. Paul tells us that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church (Ephesians Chapter 5). The sacrifice of Christ is a sacrifice of intimate love, the same way that a husband offers his own body to his wife. To be a priest is to represent Jesus Christ, not only as prophet, king and teacher, but as bridegroom.

This reality of bridegroom, if lived generously as God intended, naturally gives rise to spiritual fatherhood. This is why priests are traditionally referred to as "Father" in the Catholic tradition (1 Cor. 4:15).

Does this reality exclude women? No, because the priest is not ordained for his own sake. He is ordained as a gift to the people. This is especially obvious when the priest is celibate, and his life is clearly one of personal sacrifice for the sake of the people. Just as queens in the ancient world were attended by eunuchs, the Catholic Church is served by celibate men. This speaks volumes about the dignity of women in God's eyes. I therefore believe that, far from excluding women, the Catholic priesthood actually elevates the dignity of women to new heights.

Fr. Joel's homily for Feb 28

2010-02-28T12:30:00.001-06:00

Lent2 - Listen to Jesus (8:50)
Lent, 2nd Sunday. When you find yourself in a cloud, listen to the voice of Jesus. Like Abraham, we are in a covenant with God. Live according to that covenant by listening to Jesus. (28 Feb 2010)

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Why women cannot be priests (1 of 3)

2010-02-25T08:30:00.009-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

At the end of youth group this week, one of the girls asked why women cannot be Catholic priests. After all it isn't fair. I told them I would answer the question next week, which will be our first official, "Awkward Question Night."

After reflecting for a while on Catholic priesthood I believe there there are three main reasons to explain why the priesthood is not open to women. I will deal with the second and third in subsequent posts.

The Church must always remain faithful to Christ and he did not chose women as priests.

Remember that we are not saved alone and individually, we are saved by being united to the Church. The Church is the family of God (Mark 3:35) and the Body of Christ (Romans 7:4, Ephesians 4:12). Just like the family brings life and learning to its members, and the body brings blood and nutrients to its members, the Church is the supernatural reality which brings God's Divine Life to us. This life comes through the sacraments, especially the Body and Blood of Christ that flows to us, and through a sharing in the Holy Spirit.

The problem is, that where two or three are gathered together, there will be an argument. Jesus needed to establish clearly who was in charge, to ensure unity. So he formed the twelve Apostles and ordained them to the triple leadership of teaching, worshiping, and guiding the Church, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, the "Spirit of Truth" (John 16:13). The assistance of the Holy Spirit is what guarantees that the Church will not succumb to human weakness and betray the Gospel, but will continue in fidelity to Christ until the end of time.

Some argue that Jesus, limited by the prejudices of his time, didn't realize women could or should be Apostles, but this is absurd. He used the woman at the well (John 4) to teach the town that he was the Messiah. It is clear from the Gospel that Jesus made a deliberate choice to call men to this mission and only men.

The Apostles ordained bishops and priests to continue this mission from one generation to the next. Just as the Apostles were all men, so the Church has always believed that this mission was given particularly to men (not to all men, only those chosen by the Holy Spirit for this particular work). By the Church, I do not mean simply that the bishops and priests refused to allow women "into the club", I mean that women and men, educated and poor, saints and sinners in every age up to the present moment have maintained the belief that priesthood was a role given to men. This enduring character is testimony to the truth.

Some will argue that the Holy Spirit is doing something different now, and calling women to priesthood. This is a possibility, since the Holy Spirit frequently does new things. Who gets to decide if the Spirit is doing this? It is the responsibility of the Church to discern if this is TRULY coming from the Holy Spirit (again, the Church is not only the Bishops but the theologians and the people in the pews). Here is the beauty of being Catholic. Each individual Christian does not bear the burden weighing these issues and trying to come to a personal conclusion. The burden of coming to a conclusion is a burden carried by the whole Church and especially by the Bishops.

After careful reflection, the Church has discerned that it is not God's will to extend the priesthood to women. Pope John Paul II declared the fruit of this discernment in his letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis. So, we are now free from having to worry about whether or not to ordain women. However, this opens up the question, for our careful investigation, why God would only chose men as priests. I'll discuss some reflections as to why this may be in another post.

Fr. Joel's homily for Feb 21

2010-02-21T15:13:00.001-06:00

Lent1 - Say No (7:40)
Lent, 1st Sunday. The Devil tempts Jesus to say No to his identity as the Son of God. Jesus says Yes to God by saying No to the temptations. What do we need to say No to in order to say Yes to God? (21 Feb 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T19:27:00.002-06:00

Lent - Restoring Relationships (8:00)
Lent, Ash Wednesday. How many commandments have we kept? The commandments are so important because they are all about relationships - our relationship to God, to our family, and to our neighbors. What do you have to give up, or where do you have to be generous, in order to restore healthy relationships? Talk to God about it. (17 Feb 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Feb 14

2010-02-14T17:48:00.001-06:00

This is the same Bishop's Appeal as last week but at my other parish. This parish has video capability so here is the video we played. For more info check out CatholicFoundationGB.org

Fr. Joel's homily for Feb 7

2010-02-07T19:08:00.001-06:00

Bishop's Appeal 2010 - Audio (6:00)
Ordinary Time, 5th Sunday. Every parish is part of the Bishop's Appeal, an annual collection to support the work of the Diocese. This isn't really my homily; it is a copy of Bishop Ricken's official taped address. For more information visit CatholicFoundationGB.org (7 Feb 2010)

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Secrets of a happy life

2010-02-01T11:56:00.005-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

I just recently read a very thoughtful article looking at the failures of Tiger Woods through Plato's characterization of the soul. Basically put, Plato looks at the human soul as made up of three parts, one desiring food and physical pleasure, another desiring victory and honor, and the third which seeks knowledge of the good. The third part is reason, and according to Plato its desire should rule the soul but rarely does. A quote from the entry is well worth reading:

"In much of American entertainment, advertising, and commentary we find the suggestion that human happiness is to be won through “success,” understood as the attainment of high status conventionally understood, and pleasure, understood as bodily satisfactions. Tiger Woods, however, achieved more status, and experienced more bodily pleasures, than probably any other living person. If extreme pursuit of, and extreme success in winning, these kinds of pleasures could not make him happy, why should we think they will make any of us happy?"

Very true. Tiger Woods had what most television commercials tell us we need. Tiger Woods was not happy. If we want to be happy, we need to look somewhere else.

This morning I had a pleasant conversation with an old gentleman who never had the success of Tiger Woods, nor did he ever enjoy the kind of pleasure that Tiger enjoyed. He spent much of his life working on a farm, but his true accomplishment was being married for 71 years.

The last few years were difficult on him, since his wife could no longer care for herself, but in our conversation this morning I could see how proud he is of his life and how much joy there is in his heart over the good times they all enjoyed. I think a great burden was lifted off his heart once his wife passed away. While he cannot articulate his thoughts like Plato can, he knows what it takes to make a good life and he could teach Tiger Woods a lot about the secrets of happiness and succcess.

What are those secrets? From this conversation, I would give you two tips.
1) Care for the the people in your life instead of caring for money, fame, or possessions.
Money, fame and possessions have a way of leaving you empty and unsatisfied, and this is a fact that Tiger Woods apparently discovered. All his fame and sports success did not satisfy his hunger, but his spirit was still unsatisfied. You might notice he had a lot of women in his life, but they were in his life in the capacity of possessions not as people.

2) Do what you know to be right, no matter how you feel or what you would rather do.
Forming the habit of consistently doing the right thing brings enormous peace to life, and avoids headaches and stress that are unnecessary. It also avoids regrets. The gentleman told me one story, in which the priest at the parish announced he was leaving the priesthood.
"Well, I 'm better than you," he told the priest, "because I'm still married to my wife." He knew what was right, and he did it, and that is the secret to a happy life.

Fr. Joel's homily for Jan 31

2010-01-31T09:40:00.000-06:00

Ord4 - Worship is Giving (8:20)
Ordinary Time, 4th Sunday. Why does Jesus walk away from Nazareth? They want to receive from him without giving anything. We often do this in our relationships, and in our worship of God. If we look to receive we gain a little. If we give of ourselves we gain ten times more. Yes, love is hard work, but it's worth it. (31 Jan 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Jan 24

2010-01-25T19:36:00.003-06:00

Ord3 - Give, and Receive More (14:38)
Ordinary Time, 3rd Sunday. God gives many different gifts, but when we start comparing gifts, we tend to lose sight of the generous giver. By being generous ourselves in giving firstfruits, a tithe, or everything, we discover a deeper truth: a Father who loves us. (24 Jan 2010)

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Essentially the same homily as last week on the same theme of Stewardship, but given to my other parish and adjusted for the day's readings.

Et in unum Dominum, Iesum Christum

2010-01-20T08:53:00.002-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.

Our Creed has beautiful things to say about God but it gets really interesting when we talk about Jesus Christ. We firmly believe that there is One God, not several gods. Logically this makes sense. There could only be one perfect, infinite, all powerful being in the universe. If there were two Gods, one would have something the other did not, so one would be greater than the other. This intuition is confirmed by the revelation of God, that there is only One God and all other gods are false gods. Up to this point, Muslims, Christians and Jews are in agreement.

If there is only one God, it would seem obvious that Jesus and the Father cannot both be God. We would say that either 1) Jesus is the Son of God but He is not the eternal, perfect God or 2) Jesus and the Father are two names or two faces for the One God. However, Jesus reveals to us something we thought was impossible. Jesus reveals that he is God and the Father is God, but there are not two gods but only One God.
The creed captures this truth with a few strong phrases. Jesus is the “Lord,” the word the Jews used specifically for God the Father. Jesus is not made, He is begotten as the only Son of God. When God makes or creates something, He shares some of His being and goodness with this creature, whether this is an angel, a person, or a stone. God, however, begets His Son, meaning that he shares everything with His Son. Just as the Father is eternal, all powerful, unlimited and perfect, Jesus is eternal, all powerful, unlimited and perfect. The Son was eternally begotten, so there was never a time that the Father existed without the Son. From all eternity, the Father has been sharing His Divine being with the Son, and the Son has been receiving His Divine being from the Father and returning everything to the Father in love. That’s such a huge thought, you could spend eternity reflecting on it, and we will!

This beautiful passage from the creed preserves our belief in the uniqueness of Jesus and the power of His revelation. As Jesus says, “He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” (John 14:9-11).

For this reason, Jesus is the final, ultimate, revelation of God. God has said everything He has to say. As the Bible tells us, “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the ages. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)
God only has one Son, everything else is a creature. However, Jesus Christ came to earth to offer us a gift we can never deserve, the chance to becomes sons and daughters of God by sharing His unique relationship with the Father. “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)

Fr. Joel's homily for Jan 17

2010-01-17T18:22:00.001-06:00

Ord2 - Generous Receivers (13:28)
Ordinary Time, Second Sunday. The Bible has three principles of giving: first fruits, tithing, and giving everything. They all have two things in common: recognizing that what we own is really a gift, and making room for God to be even more generous to us. So when it comes to giving, how generous do you want God to be to you? Go and do the same. (17 Jan 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Jan 10

2010-01-10T12:55:00.001-06:00

Ord1 - Child, I love You

Baptism of the Lord. There was once a football player who yearned for his Father's love and approval. At his Baptism in the Jordan God the Father speaks these words to his Son. Every child needs to hear the Father say, "Child, I love you. I'm proud of you." (10 Jan 2010)

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The article is: Through aches and pains, Favre still driven by dad in the Green Bay Press-Gazette and USA TODAY. Note: An astute listener pointed out that Jesus hears the Father's voice again at the Transfiguration.

Credo in Unum Deum

2010-01-08T08:28:00.005-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

These first two lines of the Creed contain a very powerful statement about our Christian vision of the world. We believe in one God, who is creator of all things besides himself. God himself has always existed, and was not created.
Paganism, which includes not only ancient Greek and Roman religions but modern Hinduism, believes that there are many gods in constant balance, such as light and darkness, life and death, good and evil. Turmoil in the world is due to turmoil among the gods. Some pagans imagine pairs of divinities, one male and one female, such as the sky and the earth, who give birth to all the creatures. In another form, called dualism, they talk about two gods, one being good, and the other being evil, whose battles produced the world. Some versions of paganism, such as Buddhism, do not believe that the world was created, but that it is an emanation of the divinity. They say god is in everything, and everything is god, a belief called Pantheism. Ultimately this means that no person is an individual, since all are emanations of the divinity like fuzz on a peach. Buddhism is very consistent in this, saying that the self is an illusion.

Christians, along with Jews and Muslims, take a courageous stance in saying that the world is the masterpiece of a single, brilliant mind. The various forces are kept in order and balance by his command, and they are not gods but creatures and servants of one creator. Even devils and angels are not gods, but are creatures created by God. The evil in the world is not caused by God, but it is permitted by God because he respects the free will of the creatures he made.
This stance is courageous because it is not obvious at first glance that there is one single unifying plan behind the world. While the world is beautiful, there is something messy about human life that often makes us wonder if anyone is in control. However, I would say that the world only seems to be messy, and that while the plan is a lot bigger than we can grasp, that does not mean there is no plan.

Christians go even farther than believing that God has a plan. We believe that his plan is motivated by love. In contrast to Muslims, our creed proclaims that God primarily relates to us, not as master or Lord, but as Father. This means that his actions are motivated by a fatherly love. The creed says “the Father” because the one almighty God we believe in is the God whom Jesus Christ called Father. Does this mean that God is male? Not necessarily. However, we know God through Jesus Christ and he very deliberately called God Father, not mother or master. Our faith in God is partly due to observing the world around us, but our experience alone is not sufficient to know God. We also need God’s revelation, which helps us to accept truths that are difficult to see, for example, that God really does love us and really does have a plan.

This is the first in a small series of articles exploring the Nicene Creed

Fr. Joel's homily for Jan 1

2010-01-01T09:43:00.002-06:00

Jan1 - How to be the Mother of Christ (7:50)

Christmas: Mary, the Mother of God. Mary had the privilege of being blessed by God from the inside as she carried him in her womb. This is a privilege every Christian has as we carry God in our hearts. Mary will show you how to do it in this coming year. (1 Jan 2010)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Dec 27

2009-12-28T16:22:00.000-06:00

Chr – To be a Holy Family (6:50)

Christmas, Holy Family. The recording is very poor so here is an abbreviated transcript of the homily.

A couple of weeks ago a woman in our parish brought me a box of homemade goodies: applesauce, pears, jams, salsa, even cookies. So I put the box in the sacristy. After Mass I ran into Fr. Jack and he said, "Fr. Joel, someone brought me a box of goodies. Would you please take most of the things that are in that box, because I'm going on sabbatical and I won't be able to eat them."

I said, "Fr. Jack, I'll take everything in that box, because it was a gift to me!"

We both had a good laugh over it later on. The confusion was simple: Whom did the gift really belong to? It belonged to me. And I wasn't about to let it get away.

We have some very interesting readings this weekend. Our first reading tells the story of Elkanah, a man with two wives. One of his wives has children, but Hannah has none. So she prays to God and promises that if God sends her a child, she will dedicate that child to God. And so Samuel is born and when he is weaned she takes him to the temple and gives him to God. He grows up to become one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. She goes on to have more children – 3 more sons and 2 more daughters, a reward for her generosity to God.

Children are a gift from God. But whom do they really belong to? Our first reading reveals that the truly belong to God. He has entrusted children to their parents as stewards, who must care for these infinitely precious gifts. Children don't truly belong to their parents, they belong to God, and we must care for them as God would want us to.

We see the same idea again in the Gospel reading. Jesus' parents accidentally leave him in the temple. After searching for 3 days, they finally find him. Mary gives him a hard time; "Son, why did you do this to us?" Jesus responds, "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house." He's in the temple, he is in his father's house; it makes perfect sense to him. Now if there is anyone who can say, "My parents don't understand me," it's Jesus. He is the Son of God – how could his parents possibly understand him?

And yet Jesus chooses to be obedient to them. There is another side to the coin of stewardship. Just as parents have been entrusted with their children, so children have been entrusted to their parents. God doesn't just want Mary and Joseph to babysit his son – he trusts them with Jesus. And so Jesus is obedient to them, and because he was obedient the Bible says, "He advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man." He advances because he is obedient to them. Parents represent God the Father to their children, and the children must be obedient.

The comforting thing about this Gospel is this: even the Holy Family didn't get it right all the time. Even the most perfect parents in the world lost their child once. Just as we find ourselves having to search for Jesus, so even Mary and Joseph had to go out and search for Jesus. So on this feast of the Holy Family we not only rejoice in the gift of families but we also pray that God would make our own families better reflections of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

(27 Dec 2009)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T17:04:00.001-06:00

Christmas – Christ the Perfect Gift (8:10)
Christmas Day. The best gifts are the homemade ones; they are one-of-a-kind and they reveal a lot about the giver. Christ is just such a custom-made gift. He reveals that God is a God of Love who wants a relationship with us. Are we willing to make room in our lives for this gift? (25 Dec 2009)
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Fr. Joel's homily for Dec 20

2009-12-20T17:07:00.001-06:00

Adv4 – Pregnant with Hope (6:30)

Advent, 4th Sunday. The world has been growing darker, but meanwhile our Advent wreath is growing brighter. Hope is already in the world though we have not yet seen its effects. In the same way Mary is pregnant with hope, carrying Baby Jesus. Even though John and Elizabeth cannot see or hear Christ, they believe, and they wait for the fulfillment. So must we. (20 Dec 2009)

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H1N1 and the Priest

2009-12-15T19:50:00.002-06:00

Even priestly ministry has been touched by swine flu. Our local Catholic hospital has put special requirements in place for anyone who is dealing with H1N1 patients. Specifically, you must wear an N95 "particulate mask" when dealing with such patients. This mask is designed to fit tightly around the face and filter any airborne viruses. As a priest on call with the hospital, I was asked to get fit-tested.

Fit-Testing

Fit testing is a procedure where they verify that you can correctly put the mask on. First they put a giant clear-plastic hood over your head (it looks like something from a 1960's sci-fi movie). They spray a bitter mist into the hood to verify that you can taste the bitter material. Then you remove the hood and put the mask on your face and seal it carefully. Then you don the giant plastic hood again and they mist in more bitter solution. "Do you taste anything?" No. Good.
Try turning your head from side to side and breathing. No?
Please talk normally. How about now?
Here is a short passage, please read it.
They spray in more of the solution.
Please stand. Tip your head up and down. Still nothing? Good.
I can now successfully wear the "normal" size N95 mask. It looks like a giant duck-bill. But it could save my life.

The Mask in Action

Two days later I stop by the hospital to visit parishioners. They were just about to call me -- we have an H1N1 patient who needs anointing. Please go as soon as possible. A feeling of low-grade panic spreads through my body. I nod with a show of bravery and stride over to the elevator. The bravery stays on the first floor as I slowly ascend. I walk slowly through the hall examining every door. There it is - Room 415. I walk by the door once, then twice, then three times. Yes, that's the correct door. And yes, it has the precautionary sheet.

Slowly I pull on my mask. It just so happens that there is a shortage of N95 masks. They have also asked me not to dispose of my mask after each use. So I brought my fit-testing mask home in a little bag and kept it with me. They also want to to wear a generic surgical mask on top of the N95. Fully attired in disposable armor, I admire my work in the mirror. I look ridiculous.

I take a deep breath and step into the room. The patient is coughing and clearly sick. Her daughter is on the phone with the parish cancelling the family portrait for the parish directory. We talk for a few minutes and then I do the anointing. Unconsciously I have been speaking loudly, hoping my voice will carry through on the masks. I back out of the room slowly, then discard one mask and save the other. Not sure if I should wash my hands before or after, I do both.

A sense of accomplishment washes over me. I have anointed a patient, and I didn't die. I also have a new respect for doctors and nurses. What I have just been through is part of their hourly routine. They work every day around dangerous infectious diseases. Any day they could take one home with them. So thank you, medical personnel for risking your lives for us. And just know that if you happen to become infected, I have an N95, and I'm no longer afraid to use it!

Living Well - True Joy

2009-12-15T19:29:00.003-06:00

At his weekly Angelus this weekend, Pope Benedict blessed the Baby Jesus for nativity scenes. His little address is very interesting. If what he says is true (I'll let the reader judge that), it contains the key to true joy:

"It is a source of joy for me", said the Holy Father, "to know that your families still conserve the custom of making nativity scenes. Yet it is not enough to repeat the traditional gesture, however important it may be. We must seek to live what the nativity scene represents in the reality of our everyday lives: that is, the love of Christ, His humility and His poverty".

"The blessing of the 'Bambinelli' - as they are called in Rome - reminds us that the nativity scene is a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy. This does not consist in possessing many things but in feeling ourselves to be loved by the Lord, in making ourselves a gift for others, and in loving one another.

Let us consider the nativity scene: the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph do not appear to be a very privileged family, they had their first child amidst great hardship, yet they are full of intimate joy because they love one another, they help one another and, above all, they are certain that God is at work in their story".

"And the shepherds", the Pope asked, "what reason do they have to be happy? That newborn infant will certainly not alter their poverty and marginalisation. Yet faith helps them to recognise in the 'child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger', the 'sign' of the fulfilment of God's promises for all the men and women 'whom He favours', even for them!"

For this reason, Benedict XVI explained, true joy consists in "feeling that our individual and community lives are touched by and filled with a great mystery, the mystery of the love of God. In order to be joyful we need ... love and truth, we need a God Who is near, Who warms our hearts and responds to our most profound expectations."

Benedict XVI, Angelus, 13 Dec 2009

Fr. Joel's homily for Dec 13

2009-12-13T17:10:00.001-06:00

Adv3 – Rejoice, the Lord is Near (7:50)

Advent, 3rd Sunday. Rejoice in the Lord always, the Lord is near! John the Baptist calls his listeners to their deepest desires - Peace, Joy, and Unconditional Love. These desires can only be filled by God. Advent is the season of realizing our need for God and of refusing all the things that fail to satisfy. Just as we rejoice in the Lord, so also God rejoices in us. (13 Dec 2009)

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Mary Immaculate

2009-12-08T16:12:00.003-06:00

Today's feast was one of my favorite days back in seminary at the North American College. During the rest of the year, seminary wasn't always a happy place. Often it felt like a pressure cooker, submitting us to elevated stress in order to force the immaturity out of us faster than mother nature would have dreamed possible. At other times, seminary felt like a hall of cells, with inmates mostly ignoring each other and trying to be ignored by the faculty. Perhaps you guessed I didn't always fit in seminary life.

Then, December 8th would come around. Our Lady, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is the patroness of the United States and the patroness of the North American College. We pulled out all the stops for a magnificent Mass with our full choir, a battalion of altar servers, deacons, and so many priests you would think the crisis of vocations was over. It would be followed, in proper Catholic style, by delicious and very jubilant dinner. These days always brought out the best in our college.

Now, in the parish, my appreciation of Mary's presence is so much greater. I see her not only as a model and example, but as a real presence constantly active. Her intercession averts disasters, protects me from evil, coaxes sinners into Church, brings healing to individuals, families, and communities. I have begun to rely on her help more and more, not only with difficulties that are beyond me but with very ordinary, every day needs. I am seeing a certain irony in the fact that we celebrated Our Lady's feast in such a magnificent way in seminary, and I didn't appreciate nearly enough the power of her intercession. Here in the parish, I appreciate her presence so much more, and our celebration leaves a lot to be desired. I suppose it is up to me to add a little something.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Fr. Joel's homily for Dec 6

2009-12-06T17:00:00.002-06:00

Adv2 - Make way for the King (5:25)

Advent, 2nd Sunday. The king is coming and he promises to bring Glory, Joy, Light, Justice and Peace, but only those whose hearts are open to receive him. What are the mountains of pride in your life that need to be leveled? What are the valleys of woundedness that need to be filled in? Make way for the King. (6 Dec 2009)

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Soft sole moccasins

2009-11-28T10:40:00.010-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

My little brother's slippers had holes in them. He likes to take his shoes off at the door and wear moccasins all day long, and he had worn through his $17 slippers. "We could make you some moccasins," I told him. He was excited at the idea of a project. Before going home for Thanksgiving break, I had to locate some leather, needles, thread, an awl, and patterns. I write this post mainly because I relied on online sources, and trying to live the gratitude that Fr. Joel suggests I feel I should contribute to the online knowledge.

We decided on plains Indian style moccasin. A single piece of leather goes under the sole, and is folded over the top of the foot and sewn on one side. Following some directions, I took a tracing of the foot and then added 3/4 inch behind the heel and 1/4 inch around the toes. From the widest part of the foot, the pattern goes straight back to the heel. The upper was a mirror image of this.

The problem was, this pattern DID NOT FIT. It was too small. After thinking about the problem, I measured the CIRCUMFERENCE of the foot and added to the upper until it equaled the total circumference (in the picture the addition is marked with the pen). Pictures of these moccasins suggested that the upper was, in fact, a little larger than the sole.

After figuring out the pattern, the project went quickly. I punched holes with the awl and my brother did the whip stitch. We had to adjust the stitching to take up the difference in size between the upper and the sole. Then we cut a hole in the top (marked by the upside-down T in the pattern), cut a little flap at the base of the heel, and sewed up the back of the moccasin. The stitching was done with the moccasin inside out so the seams wind up inside.

These moccasins are made of cow hide suede, which is flexible but durable. It seems to have less give to it than dear skin. We finished the moccasins by sewing a small tongue into the opening in the upper, and threading laces to hold them on.

It was a fun project and it was good to accomplish something with and for my brother. I made a larger pair for myself, and have been enjoying them around the house. I always wear them with socks, since the seams are on the inside and they irritate my foot if I don't. Now, my mother is talking about slippers for Christmas; looks like I might have one gift figured out.

Living Well - Gratitude

2009-11-26T14:53:00.001-06:00

"We must change from looking at the lack in our lives to looking at the abundance in our lives and being grateful." – LaVon Rader

This little quote was part of a presentation on living a simple abundant life at the Diocese of Green Bay's convocation for 2009. When I heard it, I realized that I had personally been looking at the lack in my life and it was making me unhappy. Now I finish my journal entries with one thing I am grateful for that day. Slowly I am discovering that the good things I have far outweigh the things I lack. So during this "season of giving", we might be asked to make a list of all the things we want. Maybe it would be smarter to make a list of the things we are grateful for and spend time enjoying them rather than asking for more.

Thanksgiving in Wisconsin

We woke up Thanksgiving Day to a thick blanket of snow, our first for the year. Now I could look at the "lack" of warm weather, but instead I'll be grateful for the abundance of snow. And I am also grateful for the sun, which by early afternoon had melted all the snow.

Living Well - A New Series

2009-11-25T12:06:00.000-06:00

Priests see people at their worst. It would be odd if I went through a whole week without someone breaking down and crying in front of me. "Father, can I meet with you?," people always ask. Chances are slim that they go on to say, "I've had a great week and I just want to tell you about the wonderful things God is doing." No, instead it seems to always be, "My life is a mess and I need your help." So a priest hears every different way that life can go badly. Sometimes life is a mess because of circumstances beyond a person's control. But more often than not, the life we lead is a result of the choices we have made. So what kind of choices do we have to make in order to live well?

If you say that someone "lives well", most people think you mean they are living a rich life. In the same way, if I say, "I ate well every night this week," you will think I have been going out to eat, having lots of fancy foods and coming home stuffed. But "eating well" really means not "eating badly" - good, healthy foods in good quantities. In the same way, when I say "living well", I mean living a healthy life full of purpose and meaning. It seems to me that healthy living includes being healthy physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally. In other words, a good life.

But what does it take to lead a good life? What does it mean to be living well? Cultures have generally collected tips about living well in the form of reflections, stories and insights that provide guidelines to the next generation. The knowledge and art of living well is called Wisdom. Previous generations had the habit of passing on this wisdom from generation to generation. Our culture has lost this habit. Our elders don't take the time to collect wisdom and our youth don't take the time to listen to it. We expect to learn what we need to know from school or the internet and we rarely take the time to look back and reflect on whether it is working. So this is the reason for this new series. I hope to collect tips and insights from personal experiences and from others, and pass them on. Please leave comments on this or other posts and I will be happy to include your wisdom as well. Maybe together we can learn to live well and help others to do the same.

Fr. Joel's homily for Nov 8

2009-11-08T11:40:00.003-06:00

Ord32 - How to buy Heaven for Two Pennies (9:11)

Ordinary Time, 32nd Sunday. What do we do when even our best isn't good enough? Today we see two widows who do not have enough. One gives here little to Elijah and God rewards her generously. Another gives her little to the temple and wins the admiration of Jesus. What do we do when however much we have, it still isn't enough? We give it to God. And it will be more than enough. (8 Nov 2009)

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Year of the Priest - Some Sage Advice

2009-11-05T20:43:00.005-06:00

The US conference of Catholic Bishops has been using this beautiful icon to promote the year of the priest. This is not a year for us to be honored but rather a year to remind us of the sacred duty we have to live the priesthood to the full. Here is some excellent advice from St. Charles Borromeo. He was made the Archbishop of Milan at the age of 25 because his uncle was Pope Paul IV (it's called nepotism). But he turned out to be an excellent choice, working very hard to reform a diocese where the priests were lax and the religious orders were houses of vice. He was shot at more than once and one time miraculously survived an attack by a hired assassin. Here's what he has to say about priesthood:

On Doing Your Job

"If teaching and preaching is your job, then study diligently and apply yourself to whatever is necessary for doing the job well. Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head.

"Are you in charge of a parish? If so, do not neglect the parish of your own soul, do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself. You have to be mindful of your people without becoming forgetful of yourself."

On Meditation

"My brothers, you must realize that for us churchmen nothing is more necessary than meditation. We must meditate before, during and after everything we do. The prophet says: I will pray, and then I will understand. When you administer the sacraments, meditate on what you are doing. When you celebrate Mass, reflect on the sacrifice you are offering. When you pray the office, think about the words you are saying and the Lord to whom you are speaking. When you take care of your people, meditate on the Lord's blood that has washed them clean. In this way, all that you do becomes a work of love.

"This is the way we can easily overcome the countless difficulties we have to face day after day, which, after all, are part of our work: in meditation we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in other men."

From the Breviary Volume III,
Proper of Saints for Nov. 4th

When the Saints go marching in

2009-11-02T10:44:00.000-06:00

- Fr. Benjamin

From Saints Row to the Boondock Saints to A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, we often hear whispers of saints even from Hollywood. Who are these majestic people? Saints are those whose lives reflect best what it means to be human. They are the ones on fire with love for God and for the people around them. Saints are those who express the Gospel of Jesus Christ in flesh and bone, and become "living Gospels," examples of what life can be when we give everything to God. They are the most precious treasures of the Catholic Church.

The process to be officially recognized as a saint is a strict one. It involves a thorough investigation of their lives to demonstrate that they were not pretending to be holy but truly were holy. In that process, the person is first declared Servant of God, then Blessed, and is finally added to the canon (the list) of official Saints. Hence the process is called "being canonized." Part of this process is proof of two miracles that are unexplainable by science. As far as I know, canonization is the only process that requires you to do something impossible. Miracles are used because they are testimony from heaven. In the cases of martyrs who gave their lives for the faith, the investigation is less rigorous because their death is a testimony to the grace of God shining through our human weakness.

Often we think of saints as "floating above the ground," undisturbed by the problems that trouble the rest of us. This is not true. If you read the lives of saints, you realize that they lived on the same planet we do, ate the same food, and faced all the same troubles. These troubles, combined with faith and perseverance, are the recipe for holiness. We use exactly the same recipe, but generally we do not add enough faith or we do not stay in the "oven" long enough. Half-baked saints, however, are a good start, and God will use our little efforts to spread his peace and love.

We imagine that there must be a great distance between heaven and earth, but our faith teaches us that the saints are not only examples to us, they also pray for us, protect us, and can even help us. St. Therese of the Child Jesus said that, if we were not able to continue doing good from heaven, she would insist on staying on earth. She died very young, at 24 years old, and has been doing good from heaven ever since. This is the reason why most parishes are put under the protection of a saint or dedicated to Our Lady. The success of the Church here on earth depends on the prayers of the Church in heaven.

While the Church will not officially pray to or honor any saint who has not been canonized, there is nothing wrong with offering personal prayers to those who were holy or who inspired us in our faith. The Feast of All Saints honors both the Saints whose lives are known and the saints whose lives are less known, but are no less meaningful to us. I hope we all have relatives or friends who have gone before us and have left a good example of faith. If not, we can always adopt a few friends from the Church's list of saints. They know what it is like to live on earth, and they will help us and hold the door open for us until the whole Church is gathered into Heaven.

Fr. Joel's Homily for Nov 1

2009-11-01T11:11:00.001-06:00

Nov1 - The Joy of Innocence (7:56)

Solemnity of All Saints. God has adopted us as his children. "See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we might be called Children of God. Yet so we are." Children are innocent; they enjoy things simply because they are good. Children love to sing for the fun of it, while adults only sing if they think they are good at it and that people will notice. What does being a child of God look like? Here and now it looks like the Beatitudes. In the next life it looks like a multitude which no one can count, wearing white robes and praising God. (1 Nov 2009)

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Zombies vs. Vampires

2009-10-31T18:29:00.001-05:00

Halloween is the perfect time to reflect on the strange new popularity of zombies and vampires. The early vampire movies depicted creepy old men sucking the blood of young women while they slept. They were a form of undead that had to sleep during the day to avoid the killing power of sunlight. But the new vampires are young and hip. Buffy used to slay them; Angel was one. In Underworld and now Twilight, vampires have become heroes. They walk among us in broad daylight, dressed in the latest fashions and wooing the hearts of women. Quite a makeover. What's next, Vampire Eye for the Human Guy – where vampires show ordinary guys how to catch their style?

Then there's the Zombie. Partly rotten, dripping blood, and stumbling slowly through a city street seems to do little for their public image. How much more can you do with a zombie? Yet they are now popping up everywhere. The Zombie Reporting Center listed 24 new zombie movies in 2007 and the trend has continued strong. Now there are zombie angels, zombie strippers, Zombie Diaries, and no shortage of zombie comedies. What's next, a zombie family show? The cartoon Zits recently ran a series called "6 Reasons why Zombies would make cool Parents."

Why are such strange things suddenly so popular? This author speculates that zombies are how we see our world, and vampires are how we see ourselves. Let me elaborate and see if it makes sense to you.

American Zombieland

Zombies – they trail blood as they stumble around, but if they get their hands on you, they will eat you. Very many of our neighbors and fellow citizens stumble through life like zombies. They wander from thing to thing doing one thing after another without a lot of thought or concern. They rarely sing, often groan, and never take time to sit and think about what they are doing. How often do we engage in real conversation with the people around us? And when we do, we are always afraid that the person in front of us might take advantage of us, monopolize our time, or worse. I think the new self-checkout kiosks are so that we can avoid even the minimum of contact with others because it is so painful. We thoughtlessly consume food, drink, and whatever else is put in front of us, regardless of its quality. Watch kids walking through the hallway in a high school, then watch a zombie film. The similarities are remarkable. Perhaps the popularity of zombie films finds its roots in a simple fear: we are afraid that the strangers all around us who have to chug coffee and energy drinks just to put on the appearance of being alive, will soon look up, notice us, and come after us.

My Secret Vampire Life

So how about the vampires? They look like ordinary people, but deep down they are different. As long as they can control their desire to drink blood, they can live ordinary, productive, almost-human lives. This is how we see ourselves. Each of us believes we are different from the others and special. Our "real self" is something that we hide when we put on masks at work and at home. So often the people around us are completely uninterested in us, and they go about their daily life oblivious to the fact that we are someone special. We are afraid that if we show who we really are, those around us will be repulsed by it. At the same time we secretly dream that we can find someone who will discover who we really are and love us for it. Until then, we keep our sunglasses on.

Humanity Reborn

So life is a struggle between zombies and vampires. Not a pleasant place to live. Fortunately, the answer to this dilemma is closer than we realize. It consists very simply in recognizing our own humanity, and doing the same for others. Being human is more than just producing and consuming. Imagine if the time spent beating levels in guitar hero were actually spent learning to play the guitar? Our own lives and those of our friends would be so much more enriched. But you can't quantify that, so unless it can be packaged and marketed, we aren't interested. We have a yearning for love, beauty, goodness, community, and authentic interactions. Yet while we feed our bodies (and how!), we starve our souls. We rarely touch people, afraid of spreading germs or being accused of something. We spend little time and money on music, art, or dance. We fail to appreciate what we are eating and we miss most of the sunsets and the goodness of people all around us. Slowly we become zombies. Fight the undead! Take time out to pray and meditate. Think about what you are doing and what it means. Are you learning to appreciate your own humanity? Are you taking time to recognize the humanity of others and rejoice it in? A good reminder every week is to take time to come to church. It reminds us of all the important things that can't be quantified, like friendships, love, beauty, joy, and flowers. Most of all, time "wasted" being human is time spent the best way possible.

Have you hugged your zombie parents today?

Apocalypse 2012 end of the world!

2009-10-29T11:21:00.008-05:00

Hollywood is churning out more and more films that destroy the world. The classic nuclear holocaust and radioactive winter has lost popularity recently, but climate change might cause floods of biblical proportions or a new ice age. Gigantic meteors could pulverize the earth. When the possibility of natural disasters ends, the real terror begins. An unstoppable pandemic viruses, engineered in a lab, might turn most of the human race into flesh-eating zombies. Our brilliant technology might get out of hand, turn evil, and kill or enslave the entire human race. Am I exaggerating? Perhaps, but last year was remarkable in that it featured Wall-E, the first children's film that was set on a lifeless future earth.

The film 2012 is another version of these fears using an old Mayan calendar. It is fairly obvious that the Mayans were not predicting anything, they just didn't bother to add more digits to their date (the end of the world happened a long time ago for them). However, the idea of entering a new year 1, even in a calendar no one uses, seems exciting. Why is it that, instead of rejoicing in the possibility that we could be beginning a new era, we are terrified that it might bring about our destruction?

America today is not a land of hope, but a nation of fears, because we have arrived at a crossroads. We had been convinced that each new discovery, each new medical breakthrough, each new invention, each new housing development, each new corporation, each new gadget, was bringing us greater happiness, prosperity, security, and peace. We got everything we asked for, but in the end we have not received what we wanted. Our stomachs are full, our pockets are full, are houses are full, our calendars are full, but our lives have never felt so empty. We have hundreds of friends electronically at our fingertips, but we have never felt so lonely. We have more choices, fewer limitations, more possibilities, more shopping, more entertainment, more power and wealth than any society before us. Why does our life seem bland, fragile, hopeless, and pointless?

We as a nation have lost our way. On a mostly subconscious level, we know the path we are walking will not lead us to happiness, and we are increasingly convinced that it is gradually bringing about our own destruction. While we are afraid to voice these fears, Hollywood has no qualms about exploiting them in larger-than-life ways. We might not be living on a lifeless planet or hunted by zombies, inside we are lifeless and hunted by a darkness we cannot name. Some of you might find this description too dark and morbid, but I am exaggerating the fears that lurk on the edges of our minds.

I noticed in the movie trailer for 2012, one of the scenes shows the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel splitting in two, separating the finger of Adam from the finger of God. This is precisely the key. As long as we live in harmony with God, we live in harmony with the world and with ourselves, and there is peace. We as a nation have refused to listen to God, telling ourselves that it is hard to hear his voice. Arrogantly we believed that science could fix the scars of our sins, that economics would allow us to live selfishly without hurting anyone, and that entertainment and spirituality would fill the void in our souls, a void cries out for God. So we thundered ahead, building a brave new world, heedless of the dangers until it has become obvious that we are not moving in a positive direction. Old financial bulwarks have fallen, families are collapsing, and depression like a cancer spreads through the land. Do we continue, and risk destruction? Do we choose a new path? If so, which one?

Our poor choices were based on false values. We as a nation need to re-examine our values, listen to the voice of God. Pope John Paul II diagnosed the whole disease, from politics to economics, from science to art to medicine, with a single idea. We need to obey the truth of the natural world and respect the dignity of every human person. Medicine, science, politics, economics, must be built to protect and promote the dignity of the human person as revealed by Jesus Christ. In a very simple way, Wall-E gave the same message. The willingness to welcome new life and respect that life is the key to a new path. If we refuse to welcome life, the light of God will be choked off by the dust of our sin, and it will be a cold, dark cultural winter.

No, I am not suggesting that if we do not listen to God, all our cities will fall into the sea. I am suggesting that we will fall into cultural apocalypse; tyranny, violence, terror, political and financial instability, and all kinds moral evil. I hope this does not happen, because we have time now to reconsider our path. If it does happen, however, I am not afraid. We know from the Book of the Apocalypse that many beasts must come, and plagues and terrors and darkness, before the world is ready to receive Jesus Christ in the second coming. So, if this cultural winter does happen, you will find me huddled around the fire of the faith, keeping it burning until a new generation is strong enough to emerge and rebuild civilization with the grace and power of the Gospel.

Fr. Joel's homily for Oct 25

2009-10-25T09:26:00.001-05:00

Ord30 - The Gift of Priesthood (8:41)

Ordinary Time, 30th Sunday. Today is Priesthood Appreciation Sunday and our readings show some interesting aspects of priesthood. Hebrews reminds us that only Christ is the high priest and all other priests participate in His priesthood. Jeremiah reminds the people how much God cares for them, a care which is Sacramentally visible through the priest. The Gospel shows that the priest is a disciple too. Priesthood is given to serve God's people, and the priest not only leads, but he also follows. (25 Oct 2009)

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The audio file is almost 8mb in size. I could reduce the size so it would be quicker to download, but that would also affect the quality. Is that something you would find helpful? Let me know if you have opinions on the subject.

Awesome New Vocations Video

2009-10-21T11:02:00.003-05:00

The Power of Life has just developed a new vocations video featuring one of my priest friends, Fr. Quinn man. Check it out:

See more at: http://www.poweroflifeevents.org/

Fr. Joel's Homily for Oct 18

2009-10-18T18:41:00.001-05:00

Ord29 - Serve and be Served (5:16)

Ordinary Time, 29th Sunday. Jesus has been giving a long list of what it takes to be his disciple. Why? Because Jesus does these things and the disciple must be like his master. Jesus has made himself the servant of all and he deeply desires to serve you. But in order to receive his gifts, have to be willing to serve like Him. (18 Oct 2009)

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Fr. Joel's Homily for Oct 11

2009-10-11T19:07:00.001-05:00

Ord28 – Smile, God Loves You (6:10)

Ordinary Time, 28th Sunday. One thing has struck me since I arrived here in this city: how sad people look all the time. No one really smiles on the street or in the mall. Some can't even smile back when you smile at them. On a recent TEC retreat, I discovered people that are really, honestly happy. What would we have to give up to accept Christ wholeheartedly and be happy like them? (11 Oct 209)

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If you want to experience the joy of Christ, the next Teens Encounter Christ retreat is January 1st. See: www.anchorofhopetec.org

Fr. Joel's Homily for Oct. 4

2009-10-04T11:34:00.001-05:00

Ord27 – Respect Life Sunday (12:46)

Ordinary Time, 27th Sunday. What are we passing on to our children? The last three Gospel readings have all mentioned children. Are we passing on faith? Are we passing on love? Are we passing on respect for all human life? In addition to families, a very important resource for our children is our Catholic schools, as our GRACE appeal reminds us. (4 Oct 2009)

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The Diocese has several appeals every year for different things – missions, religious retirement, seminarians, etc. While these are all good things, the priest feels the pressure to integrate the appeal well into Mass and still allow things to finish in a timely way. Any suggestions from the pew on how to do it better?

Priest vs. the Devil - cookies

2009-10-04T08:09:00.003-05:00

- Fr. Benjamin

Normally I find videos on YouTube. Thanks to some writing by my youth group, this is the first video I have put online.

Mass-to-Go

2009-10-02T11:57:00.001-05:00

Fr. Joel

For the most part, priesthood needs very little equipment. To celebrate Mass, for example, all we really need are a few fancy garments, some pretty cups and bowls, a few expensive books, and a nice big church comes in handy too. However, it sometimes happens that we celebrate Mass on the road or in nursing homes or other places where all the equipment is not available. In that case, a very useful priestly item is the Mass Kit. It consists of all the basic things needed to say Mass with. They usually cost upwards of $100 and come in various sizes. The smallest are like equipment for doll houses, and the biggest ones practically contain their own altar. Not wanting to spend the money when I was a newly ordained, I decided to build my own. It has taken me a while to collect all the necessary items but here it is: Chalice (the cup), patten (the plate), water and wine, candles and crucifix, altar bread, and altar linens.

It needs to all fold up into a handy travel case. For a long time I couldn't find anything that was just the right shape. Finally I settled on a Plano Guide Series case, like a small tackle box but without dividers. I called several sporting goods stores but none of them carried this particular model.One day I stopped at a local store. I described what I was looking for and the helpful salesman said, "No, we don't have anything like that," and walked away. Right behind his head on the shelf was exactly what I was looking for, and it was the only one in the store.

I had some chunks of 5x5 foam left over from the boxes they ship Easter candles in. Half an hour of snipping and I had a custom-made Mass kit.

The finished product is surprisingly heavy, weighing in at 2kg and measuring 9.5x7.5x4 inches. In the picture below, the dollar bill is for scale (contrary to popular belief, a collection is not a necessary part of Mass). It is also surprisingly expensive -- the chalice and patten were each $40, the case was about $30, and the rest was free. So my home-made inexpensive kit cost me about $110. So I spent the same amount of money, just spread out over a period of time. At least I can brag that I built it myself.

Fr. Joel's Homily for Sep 27

2009-09-27T11:38:00.001-05:00

Ord26 – Cut it Out (9:23)

Ordinary Time, 26th Sunday. Jesus talks about cutting off hands, feet and eyes. Is he serious? A malfunctioning gas flap on a car shows what Jesus really means: We cannot tolerate even a little sin in our lives. Even small sins begin to choke off the life of God that we desperately need. (27 Sep 2009)

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Fr. Joel's Homily for Sep 20th

2009-09-20T16:58:00.001-05:00

Ord25 – Downward Mobility (6:30)

Ordinary Time, 25th Sunday. Jesus predicts his passion a second time, and then catches his disciples trying to be the greatest. "Whoever wishes to be first must be the last of all and the servant of all." This is Downward Mobility, Jesus' invitation to seek the good of others instead of satisfying our own selfish ambitions. Which wolf do feed? (20 Sep 2009)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Sep 13

2009-09-13T12:06:00.002-05:00

Ord24 - Would you Rather...? (7:20)
Ordinary Time, 24th Sunday. Would you rather: A) live of comfortable but mediocre life that does very little good for anyone, or B) live an uncomfortable life with a lot of suffering, but which does great good for the world? Jesus chose the second, and history shows us what a profound effect we can have by making the same choice. Your works reveal which one you choose. (13 Sep 2009)

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Fr. Joel's Homily for Sep 6th

2009-09-06T11:57:00.000-05:00

Ord23 – Be Opened

Ordinary Time, 23rd Sunday. Jesus touches the deaf man and says "Be Opened" -- and he can hear Jesus' voice and praise God. We too are deaf to the voice of God. We need to allow Jesus to heal us so that we can hear him clearly and bring others to him. (6 Sep 2009)

(The recording from Church didn't appear so this was recorded later)

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In the latest Health Care news...

2009-09-03T09:23:00.003-05:00

The news recently reported that Pfizer (maker of Viagra, Zoloft, Lipitor, and other commercials) and had been fined $2.3 billion. Apparently they were promoting drugs by inviting doctors to "consultant meetings" at resort locations, paying their expenses and providing perks, including free golf and massages. (Devlin Barrett, Green Bay Press Gazette, "Pfizer to pay record $2.3 billion penalty for drug promotions", A-13, 3 Sep. 2009). Essentially, this means that when the TV commercial says, "Ask your doctor if Zoloft right for you," they've gotten to your doctor first. He wrote out his first prescriptions in med school on a Zoloft clipboard, his office is littered with pens and other free Zoloft promotional materials, and he's been to the Zoloft "consultant meeting". Do you think he'll find that an equivalent generic drug will work just as well, or that you don't need a drug at at all? I think he'll give you a prescription for Zoloft.

The worst part, of course, is that all this money comes from you. It is you, the patient, that ultimately pays for the drug that provides the money for them to run millions of dollars in commercials, hand out promotional materials and bribe doctors with great perks.

In other news, the Green Bay Press Gazette also noted that health care costs have more than tripled since 1990.(Ref) How could costs more than triple in 19 years? Is that even possible?

Fr. Joel's homily for Aug 30

2009-08-30T09:39:00.001-05:00

Ord22 - Better is a Clean Heart (7:50)
Ordinary Time, 22nd Sunday. We work hard to keep our bodies clean and free from germs. But Jesus reminds us that a clean heart is better than clean hands. We have to work just as hard to avoid Spiritual Contagion. Fortunately, Jesus provides us with antidotes: Prayer, Confession, and Penance. (30 Aug 2009)

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Fr. Joel's homily for Aug 23

2009-08-23T11:28:00.002-05:00

Ord21 - Submit to Sacrificial Love (6:50)
Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday. Ephesians 5 is a notoriously unpopular reading. However, if we read it backwards it begins to make more sense. St. Paul calls husbands to love their wives with the same love of Christ -- self-giving, sacrificial love. Wives must submit themselves to being loved. As they then submit themselves to each other, they create a community of mutual love and service. We too must submit ourselves to being sacrificially loved and served by Christ. (23 Aug 2009)

(This interpretation of St. Paul originates with Pope John Paul II as part of his Theology of the Body.)

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Why US Healthcare is Sick and Congress cannot fix it

2009-08-20T16:17:00.000-05:00

Fr. Joel

The government is currently in the process of "fixing" health care. Before they fix health care, maybe we should look at what else they fixed recently, like the US financial system. Is anybody else worried? I recently read an excellent article, "U.S. regulators could learn from Canada's banks." Even after the financial shake-up, Canada ranks #1 in financial stability in the world, compared to the US at #40. What makes them more stable is not so much the regulation as the mentality of the banks. Here are a couple quotes:

"Canadian bankers act less like Wall Street's masters of the universe and more like sedate, green-eyeshade types. Regulators aren't the enemy; they're an early-warning system that signals financial problems before they blossom into catastrophe."

"In the U.S., some blame the financial debacle on the 1999 repeal of a Depression-era law that prohibited commercial banks from owning investment banks. But Canada notably allowed such mergers for more than a decade without incident before the U.S. scrapped its Glass-Steagall law. Conservative management made the difference."

The difference between Canadian stability and American financial market meltdown is not so much the set of regulations but the mentality with which they are applied. I believe that this is the key to understanding the health care crisis in America. The problems with the US system are not so much regulation or finances but a certain mentality. I think we make two fundamental mistakes: the Money Mentality, and the Unhealthy Society.

Problem #1 - The Money Mentality

In generations past, health care was considered a charity. Churches and communities funded hospitals and clinics for the good of their people and for the poor. This is why so many hospitals used to be named after a saint or something like Community General. In recent history, health care has morphed into a very powerful mega-industry. And now not only is the patient lost, but doctors and hospitals are existing for the wrong reasons.

Consider this:
I am skiing down a mountain and come upon a fellow skier who has cracked his head and is bleeding badly. So I take him quickly to the nearest clinic.
"Who's going to pay?", they ask. They look for insurance cards or ID's, but nothing. "Will you pay for his care?," they ask me.
"No, I only just met him."
Now, of course they are going to fix him up; it would be shocking if they turned away a bleeding man because he didn't have money. So how come we consider them obligated to care for him even if he cannot pay? It is because health care is closely tied to the right to life. It saves lives, which are priceless.

The problem with modern health care is that it will give you anything, provided that you foot the bill. A pregnant mother gives birth and they present her with the baby and a bill for $25,000. But the hospital wants to seem caring, and no one feels cared for when the bill collector follows them out the door. So we have invented health insurance agencies, where the parents get the baby and the insurance man gets the bill. But health insurance only makes the problem worse. First, it adds a second layer of bureaucracy. Because they are paying they get to say what they will pay for. It intrudes into the doctor-patient relationship. Second, it adds an extra layer of cost. A whole company stays afloat shuffling money around between patients and doctors. Third, the insurance company eliminates free choice. Now I can't go to a doctor I choose if he isn't in the plan. Boardroom negotiations limit the choices of individual patients.

The whole payment structure is the problem. An article on the loss of primary-care doctors said: "The biggest problem is the payment model," says Sameer Badlani, an instructor at the University of Chicago's school of medicine. "The more procedures you do, the more money you make. That is why, in a procedure-based specialty, a physician can make about four to five times the annual salary a primary-care physician can earn." (USA Today, "Doctor shortage looms")

Doctors are necessary for a healthy society. Being necessary is the ticket to making lots of money. But at its essence, health care is CARE for the sick and vulnerable. These are people whose health has been damaged beyond their ability to fix it. They are not in a position to shop and negotiate. What if someone called the parish and said, "I need to talk to a priest. I am really struggling", and the priest responded, "I would love to sit and talk but that will cost you $50 per hour." Imagine how shocked you would be to hear that story. Well, that is what the health-care mega-industry does to patients every single day.

When pharmaceutical companies advertise on TV, are they looking to improve the lives of patients or make money off them?

When hospitals refuse to settle malpractice claims until they are served with a lawsuit, do they have the patient's best interest in mind?

When lawyers rake in millions with a tear-jerker of a story about little Johnny who can't walk, even though the doctor could not have done anything better, is the patient truly served?

When doctors order extra tests so that the hospital can make ends meet, who is being served?

Doctors deserve to be compensated, but no one can really pay you enough to give your life to make the lives of others better. Where a mentality of service is lacking, the money will never be enough. The problem is the mentality of money, and Congress isn't going to fix it.

Problem #2 - An Unhealthy Society

Health care does not exist only in hospitals and clinics. Health care is something we do every day. Clean water, clean air, and good healthy food contribute to health. Exercise, diet, lifestyle choices and jobs all affect health care. We as Americans tend to eat too much and exercise too little. Grocery stores are filled with bad-tasting vegetables bred so they would look good on the shelf. So instead we turn to processed foods and frozen pizzas. We pay little attention to our body's need to sleep, relax and rejuvenate. Until something goes tragically wrong and we expect the doctor to fix us. The doctor cannot undo years of bad choices.

The second problem with health care is that it cannot save us from ourselves. We are fragile and mortal, prone to injury and death. So much money is spent at the end of life simply because people cannot accept the natural role of death. Just as our health will eventually give out if we fail to protect it, so the whole industry cannot survive under the crushing weight of an unhealthy society.

As much as Congress has tried to get America active, we have clung to our TV remotes and stubbornly resisted. So now that you have read this incredibly long post, you must realize that it isn't just the industry that is at fault. You and I are part of the problem, and we could be part of the solution too. So get off your duff and do something active for 5 minutes and then go eat a healthy meal. Your body will thank you, and so will your doctor, and so will your country.

Fr. Joel's Homily for Aug 15

2009-08-16T09:35:00.006-05:00

Aug15 - The Assumption and a Wedding (10:13)
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Wedding Mass today falls on a beautiful Feast of Mary. What can Mary teach us about married life? First, she shows us how to give ourselves completely to God and one another. Secondly, she shows us the importance of constant communication. Third, she reminds us to protect our own purity and that of our spouse. If you follow Mary's example, you too will be able to sing, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord..." (15 Aug 2009)

This weekend we had guest preachers doing a missionary appeal, so they took most of the Masses and all the homilies. This homily I recorded at my Saturday wedding. The Solemnity of the Assupmtion takes precedence over the wedding Mass, which means that we could take one reading from the wedding liturgy and the remaining readings and prayers were from the holy day. It was a unique challenge for a preacher. I have included a picture of the vestment that I mention in the homily. It was a gift from parishioners of my last parish.

Life on the Edge, Day 4

2009-08-10T14:42:00.005-05:00

So you expected me to post day 3 next, didn't you? HA!! Day 3 we went white-water rafting down the Cache la Poudre river (the name means Cache of Powder, dating from the voyageur days). But I didn't get any pictures that day and we all know how boring it is to read a post without pictures.

This charming picture of one of our leaders was taken at our 7am breakfast stop. At that time we had been on the trail for almost 3 hours and had traveled about half the distance to our destination, Flattop Mountain. We were also just below the treeline.

Here we are now above the treeline (about 11,000 ft.). Bathroom facilities become more and more scarce the higher you climb.

We were hiking in two "Platoons", one from Wisconsin and one from Iowa. Here is the Wisconsin Platoon pausing at a scenic overlook. You could see California and parts of mainland China from this particular spot, that's how high we were.

This is the barren wasteland above the treeline. Scoured by winds and freezing temperatures, it was teeming with life. Marmots, pikas, ptarmigans and spiders were everywhere.

Here's a great view looking down Flattop Mountain into the valley. Somewhere in the distance is Estes Park.

Here is a picture from Flattop Mountain looking up to Hallet's Peak which rises 400 feet higher.

Here we are milling about taking pictures from the top of the mountain and scaring one another because we all look so close to death. Really the mountain slopes slowly down, so people only look close to death. But 12,713 feet high makes dizzy just thinking about it. Of course, it took us most of the afternoon to get down again but we were all tired and happy and proud of one another.

Praised be Jesus Christ...
now and Forever!

Life on the Edge, Day 2

2009-08-10T14:38:00.004-05:00

Our second day we hit the trails once again in the Rocky Mountain National Park and started at the same trailhead. A mile or so up the trail, we took a turn and headed up steeper trails.

After a long series of switchbacks we saw our first glacier (it was really just a pile of snow, but hey, this is the beginning of August). What do you do with a big pile of snow? Well, you sit and wait for the next squad and then pelt them with snowballs!

Pink Squad, my hiking group for the day.

This is Timberline Falls. We reached it after a long climb up steep trails. Our destination was Glass Lake that sits above the falls. We had to crawl vertically up wet rocks to arrive at the lake, and the waterfall is much higher than it appears in the picture (the trees give you a clue).

Because my squad arrived first, we were told we had to climb back down the waterfall, take the packs from the slowest group, and carry them up the waterfall. I was exhausted at the end.
As we hiked back down the trail, we could see how high we had climbed.

Life on the Edge, Day 1

2009-08-10T12:54:00.002-05:00

I just spent the last week of my life in Colorado. It was a trip of about 50 people, half from Wisconsin and half from Iowa. We had squads with 6-8 teens in a squad and a couple of adult leaders per squad. The Oshkosh squads were known as Pink Squad and Green Squad. This trip is an opportunity for kids to encounter Christ through the beauty of His World and the beauty of Christ's Catholic Church.

We slept in cabins at a place owned by the Salvation Army and hiked in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Our first day was meant to acclimatize us to the altitude. Here we are hiking along a 2.5 mile route.

Alberta Falls:

We arrived here at Mills Lake and I celebrated Sunday Mass on a rock in the lake. It was a fantastic experience. The wind was gusting to 25 mph so I made some people stand behind me like a wind screen.

You can see in the picture above where the tree-line ends. Think of how much work God must have put into this part of the world, just so the elk could enjoy it.

Fr. Joel's Homily for Aug 9

2009-08-09T16:57:00.004-05:00

Ord19 - Seminarian Appeal (8:13)
Ordinary Time, 19th Sunday. The prophet Elijah is exhausted and prays for death, but God feeds and sustains him. Our Church is tired too and sometimes seems to have little hope. But we have good news -- God continues to work with, call and inspire young people. Our Diocese now has 22 seminarians and 10 of those are new this year. We are doing our yearly Seminarian Appeal and I ask you to please be generous. Pray, Encourage, and Support young men and women as they seek their vocation. I hope that they can discover the same happiness I have found. (9 Aug 2009)

More information on the seminarian appeal.

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Fr. Joel's Homily for July 26

2009-07-26T18:58:00.004-05:00

Ord17 - One Boy's Generosity (5:40)
Ordinary Time, 17th Sunday. The first reading shows how Elisha the prophet feeds 100 people with the generosity of one man, who gave his first-fruits to God. In the same way in the Gospel, the 5,000 are fed because one boy was willing to give all he had to Jesus. We are invited to do the same. Will you keep everything back, or give a little, or will you too give everything to Jesus? (26 Jul 2009)

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Fr. Joel's Homily for July 19

2009-07-19T13:10:00.002-05:00

Ord16 - Listen to the Shepherd (5:22)

Ordinary Time, 16th Sunday. Sheep gather around the shepherd, who bunches them together to keep them safe. If we don't listen for the shepherd's voice, we'll wander off and get lost. (19 Jul 2009)

Fr. Joel's Homily for July 12

2009-07-15T22:08:00.001-05:00

Ord15 - God with Us (9:04)
Ordinary Time, 15th Sunday. As a new priest in an unfamiliar place I find myself welcomed by others but not able to answer any questions. In the course of my priestly studies and my time as a new priest, I discovered that God works through me anyway despite my lack of skill and knowledge. God will work through you as well. (12 Jul 2009)

Death be not Proud

2009-07-09T09:52:00.009-05:00

-Fr.Joel

Michael Jackson is still dead.
As though afraid that Americans would forget, the media could talk of nothing else. Listeners, viewers and readers were treated to special reports and tributes, pictures and interviews, and talk, talk talk. The "King of Pop" had passed.

He was not famous for his humanity, his wisdom, his courage our his kindness. He was famous for one thing: Entertaining. In sad but fitting tribute, his memorial was entertainment. Famous singers and sports stars, songs, a little silence, some multi-media special effects. For those who consume entertainment, it looked like a church service. For someone like me, intimately acquainted with services, it looked like entertainment. They told stories, they sang songs, they talked of his virtues, they said we would never forget. It was as though the world of entertaining could only mourn by giving us more entertainment. Perhaps as long as the band played on, we might forget why we had gathered. But we couldn't help but notice: Dressed with flowers and bathed in light, it looked more like a centerpiece than a concession to death, but it was still a cold, hard coffin.
Michael Jackson is still dead.

Wisconsin was in mourning too, but not for him.
Flags flew at half mast. Newspapers told us of the plans. The city of Peshtigo cried. One of its sons, the young and handsome Steven Drees, had joined the Army. He left for Afghanistan on his on 19th birthday, and five weeks later he came back in a coffin. His Army unit was ambushed by insurgents and Steven fought back, defending his brothers bravely until a piece of sharpnel pierced his brain. They flew his body home where it was met by the Patriot Guard Riders, veterans on hogs who provide a very solemn and very Wisconsin escort to deceased military. Engines throbbing and flags flying, they wound their way to his old school.

Steven's body was laid out in the gym where he had played basketball. More than a thousand sobbing friends and family gathered to wish him farewell. His coach told us what a great teammate he had been, and how from now on he will award someone "Teammate of the Year" in honor of Steven Drees. A general said he was well-liked, a good soldier. The priest said that God is love. And still, his star-spangled coffin lay cold and mute, a testimony to human powerlessness. His former teammates could do nothing for him but sob quietly. The American Army, arguably the greatest in the world, was powerless. We could have sent men to conquer the moon if we wanted, but we couldn't help Steven. Our human skill at taking life bested our skill at saving it.

Steven entered the afterlife unarmed and alone. The freedoms he fought for no longer apply to him. Democracy cannot help him, and injustice cannot hurt him. Though the flag drapes his coffin, it cannot save him. The general presented his parents with two posthumous medals but they hardly seemed to comfort his family. The casket was walked out by 6 strong men, each as young as he was. His twin brother, widowed girlfriend, family and friends marched out. Steven Drees, young, likeable, full of promise, was dead.

As dead as Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Robert MacNamara, Oscar Mayer.
It shouldn't end this way.

And it doesn't. Someone has conquered the afterlife. One of our own made it to the other side and came back again. Like an infiltrator behind enemy lines, he fought and defeated the last and greatest enemy we face: Death itself.

I do not know whether Steven was ready to go or not. I do not know the state of his soul. Nor do I know in the afterlife whether Michael Jackson will be white or black. But I do know one thing: Michael Jackson is dead. And Steven Drees is dead. But Jesus Christ is not dead. And therein lies our hope.

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" -- Jesus Christ (John 11:25-6)

"If we beleive that Jesus died and rose, God will bring forth with him from the dead those also who have fallen asleep believing in him." -- St. Paul (1 Thes. 4:14)